Question

How will you provide the following information in a chemical reaction?

Formation of precipitate

Answer 1

1. Chemical Equation: A chemical equation is a shorthand method to describe the reaction taking place in terms of symbols and formulae of substances involved in the reaction.
2. Representation of physical states of reactants and products: A chemical equation must show the physical states of the substances involved. Solids are represented by the symbol (s), liquids by (l), gases by (g), and aqueous medium by (aq).
3. Representation of precipitate: A precipitate is the solid produced during the reaction and thus this information is provided by using a downward arrow ($\downarrow$) or using the word precipitate (ppt) below the formula.
4. Example: When silver nitrate (${\mathrm{AgNO}}_3$) reacts with sodium chloride ($\mathrm{NaCl}$), then sodium nitrate (${\mathrm{NaNO}}_3$), and the precipitate of silver chloride ($\mathrm{AgCl}$) are produced.

$$\begin{gathered} {\mathrm{AgNO}}_3\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+\mathrm{NaCl}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)\to {\mathrm{NaNO}}_3\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+\mathrm{AgCl}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)\downarrow \\ \mathrm{Silver}\mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{Silver} \\ \mathrm{Nitrate}\mathrm{Chloride}\mathrm{nitrate}\mathrm{chloride} \end{gathered}$$