Question

Explain precipitation reaction with example.

Answer 1

• During certain reactions, the product may be an insoluble substance that settles at the bottom of the reaction mixture.
• These insoluble substances are known as precipitates.
• A precipitate is a solid that forms out of a solution.
• A precipitation reaction is a reaction in which a precipitate is formed when two solutions containing soluble salts are combined.
• Example of a precipitation reaction:

$\underset{\mathrm{Silver}\mathrm{nitrate}}{{\mathrm{AgNO}}_3\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Potassium}\mathrm{chloride}}{\mathrm{KCl}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)}\to \underset{\mathrm{Silver}\mathrm{chloride}}{\mathrm{AgCl}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)\downarrow }+\underset{\mathrm{Potassium}\mathrm{nitrate}}{{\mathrm{KNO}}_3\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)}$

• In this reaction, a solution of silver nitrate reacts with a solution of potassium chloride to form a solution of potassium nitrate and solid silver chloride is precipitated that settles down at the bottom.