

Only carry the subscripts that are part of the formula. Let’s use the table of the most common polyatomic ions, and determine the products of the reaction between AgNO 3 and CaCl 2:Ĭomplete and balance the following equation between solver nitrate and calcium chloride:ġ) Exchange the cations and anions. To be able to predict the products of a double displacement reaction, you need to know the formulas and the charges of the ions in the starting materials and use the solubility rules to identify the precipitate in the reaction. These types of reactions are called metathesis or double-displacement reactions. If we compare the formulas of the reactants and products in the previous reaction, we can see that an exchange of ions had occurred the cation of one salt combined with the anion of the other salt and vice versa.

Na 2CrO 4( aq) + AgNO 3( aq) → Ag 2CrO 4( s) + NaNO 3( aq) For example, when an aqueous solution of sodium chromate (Na 2CrO 4) is added to an aqueous solution of silver nitrate (AgNO 3), a dark orange precipitate of silver chromate (Ag 2CrO 4) is formed: Precipitation reactions usually involve ionic compounds. In a precipitation reaction, an insoluble product is formed which is called a precipitate.
