Write the net ionic equation for the acid‑base reaction. Include physical states.

Question

HClO4(aq)+NaOH(aq)⟶H2O(l)+NaClO4(aq)

Answer 1

A net ionic equation double replacement reaction in aqueous solution. It removes the spectator ions from the total equation to only list the species that participate in the reaction.

Let's look at this equation here.

HClO_{4 (aq)}+NaOH_(aq)⟶H₂O_(l)+NaClO_{4 (aq)}

Writing these species as whole ionic compounds is a formality; in aqueous solution HClO₄ will dissolve to form H⁺ and ClO₄^-. Similarly NaOH will dissolve to form Na+ and OH-. Since the salt formed NaClO₄ is soluble in water, we'll write (aq) after it and we can say it's still dissolved in water as Na⁺ and ClO₄^-.

Substituting all of that in, let's expand out our equation:

HClO4 _(aq)+NaOH _(aq)⟶ H₂O_(l)+NaClO_{4 (aq)}

H⁺_(aq) + ClO₄^-_(aq) + Na+(aq) + OH^-_(aq) ⟶ H₂O _(l) + Na⁺_(aq) + ClO₄^-_(aq)

We now can cancel out all the terms that are on both the left and the the right side of the equation. We call those spectator ions since they don't participate in the reaction.

H⁺(aq) + ClO₄^-_(aq) + Na⁺_(aq) + OH^- _(aq) ⟶ H₂O _(l) + Na⁺_(aq) + ClO₄^-_(aq)

We are left with the net ionic equation:

H⁺_(aq) + OH^- _(aq) ⟶ H₂O _(l)

For any reaction between a strong acid and a strong base, the net ionic equation is the neutralization of H⁺_(aq) + OH^-_(aq) to form water.