Here's why:
* The Reaction: The reaction is a double displacement reaction. The zinc ions (Zn²⁺) from zinc nitrate will react with the chloride ions (Cl⁻) from barium chloride to form zinc chloride (ZnCl₂) which is soluble in water. Meanwhile, the barium ions (Ba²⁺) from barium chloride will react with the nitrate ions (NO₃⁻) from zinc nitrate to form barium nitrate (Ba(NO₃)₂) which is also soluble in water.
* The Precipitate: However, barium chloride (BaCl₂) is insoluble in water. This means it will precipitate out of solution as a white solid, giving the reaction mixture a cloudy appearance.
The overall chemical equation is:
Zn(NO₃)₂ (aq) + BaCl₂ (aq) → ZnCl₂ (aq) + Ba(NO₃)₂ (aq)
Net ionic equation (showing only the ions involved in the precipitate formation):
Ba²⁺ (aq) + 2Cl⁻ (aq) → BaCl₂ (s)
Observations:
* A white, cloudy precipitate will appear in the solution.
* The solution will become less clear as the precipitate forms.
