2 Na₃PO₄ (aq) + 3 Mg(OH)₂ (aq) → Mg₃(PO₄)₂ (s) + 6 NaOH (aq)
Here's a breakdown of the reaction:
* Reactants:
* Sodium phosphate (Na₃PO₄): A soluble ionic compound that dissolves in water to form sodium (Na⁺) and phosphate (PO₄³⁻) ions.
* Magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)₂) : A slightly soluble ionic compound that dissolves in water to form magnesium (Mg²⁺) and hydroxide (OH⁻) ions.
* Products:
* Magnesium phosphate (Mg₃(PO₄)₂): An insoluble ionic compound that precipitates out of solution as a solid.
* Sodium hydroxide (NaOH): A soluble ionic compound that remains dissolved in the solution as sodium (Na⁺) and hydroxide (OH⁻) ions.
Explanation of Balancing:
* Cations: There are 6 sodium ions (Na⁺) on the reactant side and 6 on the product side. Similarly, there are 3 magnesium ions (Mg²⁺) on both sides.
* Anions: There are 2 phosphate ions (PO₄³⁻) on both sides and 6 hydroxide ions (OH⁻) on both sides.
Key Points:
* This reaction is a double displacement reaction, where the cations and anions of the reactants switch partners.
* The formation of the insoluble magnesium phosphate (Mg₃(PO₄)₂) is the driving force for the reaction.
* The state symbols (aq) for aqueous, and (s) for solid, indicate the physical state of each substance in the reaction.
