Here's the balanced chemical equation:
Al₂(SO₄)₃(aq) + 3BaCl₂(aq) → 3BaSO₄(s) + 2AlCl₃(aq)
Explanation:
* Reactants:
* Aluminum sulfate (Al₂(SO₄)₃) is a soluble salt in water.
* Barium chloride (BaCl₂) is also soluble in water.
* Products:
* Barium sulfate (BaSO₄) is an insoluble salt in water, meaning it forms a solid precipitate that falls out of solution.
* Aluminum chloride (AlCl₃) remains dissolved in solution.
Net Ionic Equation:
To focus on the species directly involved in the precipitate formation, we can write the net ionic equation:
3Ba²⁺(aq) + 3SO₄²⁻(aq) → 3BaSO₄(s)
Observations:
* When solutions of aluminum sulfate and barium chloride are mixed, a white precipitate of barium sulfate forms, making the solution cloudy.
* The remaining solution contains aluminum chloride, which remains dissolved.
Uses:
This reaction is used in various applications, including:
* Analytical chemistry: to determine the concentration of sulfate ions in solutions.
* Industrial processes: in the production of barium sulfate, used as a white pigment in paints and as a filler in paper.
* Medical procedures: barium sulfate is used as a contrast agent in medical imaging, especially X-rays of the digestive system.
