Difference between aqueous and a liquid?

Question

In the reaction sodium hydroxide+sulfuric acid, the balanced equation I got is

NaOH_(aq)+H₂SO_4(aq)-->Na₂SO₄+HOH or NaOH_(aq)+H₂SO_4(aq)-->Na₂SO₄+H₂O

I don't understand how to write the net ionic equation if there is no solid product? The answer key labels the water as (L) which I'm assuming means liquid but what's the difference between liquid and aqueous? Why would water be the product in the net ionic equation?

Answer 1

In any acid base reaction, water will be a products. This arrises from the H⁺ from the acid and the OH^- from the base (in a typical Arrhenius or Bronstead type acid/base reaction). No, as to the difference between (aq) and (l), the (aq) depicts a compound that is in solution (with water being the solvent). The (l) is reserved to liquid water and since it does not ionize/dissociate readily, it is included in any net ionic equation.

Your equation isn't balanced, and if we balance it, we have...

2NaOH(aq) + H2SO4(aq) ==> Na2SO4(aq) + 2H2O(l)

The net ionic equation will be...

2OH^-(aq) + 2H⁺(aq) ==> 2H₂O(l)