Search

Text Color

Margin Size

Font Type

Enable Dyslexic Font

11: Reactions in Aqueous Solutions

Last updated

Apr 3, 2022
Save as PDF
- 10.27: Colloids
- 11.1: Prelude to Aqueous Phase Reactions

$\newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} }$

$\newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}}$

$\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}$ $\newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}$

( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) $\newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}$

$\newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}$ $\newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}$

$\newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}$ $\newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}$

$\newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}$

$\newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}$

$\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}$

$\newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}$

$\newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}$

$\newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}$

$\newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}$

$\newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}$

$\newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}$

$\newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}$

$\newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}$

$\newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}$ $\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}$

$\newcommand{\vectorA}[1]{\vec{#1}} % arrow$

$\newcommand{\vectorAt}[1]{\vec{\text{#1}}} % arrow$

$\newcommand{\vectorB}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} }$

$\newcommand{\vectorC}[1]{\textbf{#1}}$

$\newcommand{\vectorD}[1]{\overrightarrow{#1}}$

$\newcommand{\vectorDt}[1]{\overrightarrow{\text{#1}}}$

$\newcommand{\vectE}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{\mathbf {#1}}}}$

$\newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} }$

$\newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}}$

$\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}$

$\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}$

$\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}$

$\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}$

$\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}$

$\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}$

$\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}$

$\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}$

$\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}$

$\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}$

$\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}$

$\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}$

$\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}$

$\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}$

$\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}$

$\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}$

$\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}$

$\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}$

$\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}$

$\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}$

$\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}$

$\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}$

$\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}$

$\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}$

$\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}$

$\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}$

$\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}$

$\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}$

$\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}$

$\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}$

$\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}$

$\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}$

$\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}$

$\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}$

$\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}$

$\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}$

$\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}$

$\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}$

$\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}$

$\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}$

$\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}$

$\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}$

$\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}$

$\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}$

$\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}$

$\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}$

$\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}$

$\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}$

$\newcommand{\lt}{<}$

$\newcommand{\gt}{>}$

$\newcommand{\amp}{&}$

$\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}$

Water is by far the most important liquid solvent, partly because it is plentiful and partly because of its unique properties. In your body, in other living systems, and in the outside environment a tremendous number of reactions take place in aqueous solutions. Consequently this section, as well as significant portions of many subsequent sections, will be devoted to developing an understanding of reactions which occur in water. Since ionic compounds and polar covalent compounds constitute the main classes which are appreciably soluble in water, reactions in aqueous solutions usually involve these types of substances. There are three important classes of reactions which occur in aqueous solution: precipitation reactions, acid-base reactions, and redox reactions.

Topic hierarchy

11.1: Prelude to Aqueous Phase Reactions
Water is the medium in which most of our chemical reactions take place. This section introduces us to some of the types of reactions that can occur in water.
11.2: Ions in Solution (Electrolytes)
In Binary Ionic Compounds and Their Properties we point out that when an ionic compound dissolves in water, the positive and negative ions originally present in the crystal lattice persist in solution. Their ability to move nearly independently through the solution permits them to carry positive or negative electrical charges from one place to another. Hence the solution conducts an electrical current.
11.3: Precipitation Reactions
Precipitation is a process in which a solute separates from a supersaturated solution. In a chemical laboratory it usually refers to a solid crystallizing from a liquid solution, but in weather reports it applies to liquid or solid water separating from supersaturated air.
11.4: Hydration of Ions
The process of dissolving is more complicated than it might first appear. This section describes the process of dissolving for ionic compounds, which can be referred to as hydration.
11.5: Hydrogen and Hydroxide Ions
We can't detect it with the naked eye, but even pure water is not technically pure. Water ionizes a very small percent to form Hydrogen and Hydroxide ions. Read on to learn more about the ionization of water.
11.6: Acid-Base Reactions
This page provides a brief intro to the world of acids and bases.
11.7: Acids
Acids, long ago defined by their taste and ability to dissolve metals, can now be defined in more concrete, specific ways. Here we investigate what makes an acid an acid in the modern day.
11.8: Bases
In this section, we investigate what makes a base a base.
11.9: Strong Acids and Bases
Acids and bases can be strong or weak. This section gives a list of strong acids and bases and gives us insight into why a strong acid or base is strong.
11.10: Weak Acids
Weak acids can be sorted into a few categories which allow for quick identification. This section details these categories and how they are defined.
11.11: Weak Bases
Like weak acids, weak bases can be categorized for easy identification. This section details the characteristics of these categories to allow for identification of weak bases.
11.12: Amphiprotic Species
While most substances act solely as an acid or a base, in special cases a species may act as either an acid or a base. Read on to learn more about these special substances.
11.13: Conjugate Acid-Base Pairs
What is left behind when an acid donates a proton or a base accepts one? This section seeks to answer this question and investigates the behavior of these new compounds post proton transfer.
11.14: Lewis Acids and Bases
Brönsted-Lowry acids and bases are only one way of defining acids and bases. G. N. Lewis also developed a definition for acids and bases, the specifics of which are detailed in this section.
11.15: Redox Reactions
Reduction and oxidation reactions involve the transfer of electrons. This section investigates the details of this special type of reaction.
11.16: Oxidation Numbers and Redox Reactions
Redox reactions are characterized by a transfer of electrons. To keep track of electrons in a redox reaction, oxidation numbers are used.
11.17: Balancing Redox Equations
Redox reactions require special methods to balance. This section introduces the methods required to balance these peculiar equations.
11.18: Common Oxidizing Agents
Oxidizing agents must be able to accept electrons readily (meaning they often involve highly electronegative elements).
11.19: Common Reducing Agents
Common reducing agents and their characteristics are detailed in this section.
11.20: Substances Which Are Both Oxidizing and Reducing Agents
Previous sections have looked at common oxidizing and reducing agents. This section investigates substances that can act either oxidizing or reducing agents.
11.21: Redox Couples
In acid-base chemistry, each acid/base has a corresponding conjugate base/acid. In redox chemistry, a similar concept exists with redox couples. For every oxidizing agent, there corresponds some reducing agent and vise versa.

Support Center

How can we help?