[danago]

If i took a sample of solid nickel (II) nitrate and dissolve it in water, it will break up into nickel (II) ions and nitrate ions. How will those ions actually exist in solution? I often see nickel ions represented as the complex ion [Ni(H₂O)_n]⁺², indicating that the positive nickel ions are surrounded by some number of water ligands.

What about the nitrate ions? Would a similar thing happen? How would they exist?

Thanks for any input,
Dan.

[Borek]

Dissolved nickel is complexed by water molecules (hence solution color), nitrate ions will be surrounded by slightly ordered water molecules. Huge difference in the "bonding" energy between both cases, but the question you have asked points at important fact - every charged ion interacts with water molecules.

[danago]

So are you saying that the nickel actually reacts with water molecules to form complex ions, whereas the nitrate ion is just subject to weaker attractive forces from the water molecules (due to the polarity of water???), so we dont generally represent nitrate ions in solution by the formula NO₃(H₂O)_n^-?

[Borek]

Yep.

[danago]

Alrighty, thanks