[EL2005]

I am having trouble with balancing this equation:

2AgNO3 + CaSO4 -->AgSO4 + Ca(NO3)2

I have tried multiplying the first and last reactant in the second equation by 2, but then it makes the other reactants on the other side uneven. I am really stuck. Please *delete me* Thank you

EL2005

[Borek]

Try with Ag₂SO₄.

[EL2005]

I thought you could only place a coefficient in front of a reactant.....is that really how it works?

[Borek]

I thought you could only place a coefficient in front of a reactant..

In front of CORRECT reactant. In this reaction correct product formula is Ag₂SO₄.

[jdurg]

What Borek's trying to say is that AgSO4 is not the correct product.  That compound doesn't exist.  The correct formula is Ag2SO4.

[Borek]

What Borek's trying to say

Do you mean I have failed?  

AgSO4 (..) That compound doesn't exist.

I have refrained myself from posting this information, as I am not 100% sure about it. There are known salts of Ag²⁺.

[jdurg]

Do you mean I have failed?  :)I have refrained myself from posting this information, as I am not 100% sure about it. There are known salts of Ag²⁺.

As a person who must train people on a daily basis where I work, I have had hammered into me the philosophy that people know very little and you must explain things out to them in the simplest terms possible.  (I had a co-worker reading over my shoulder looking very puzzled while reading your reply.   )

As for whether AgSO4 exists or not, in the context of this question it doesn't.  

[Garneck]

There are known salts of Ag²⁺.

which are unstable

[Borek]

As for whether AgSO4 exists or not, in the context of this question it doesn't.

I agree, but I believe we should refrain ourselves from stating things that are not correct when it is not necessary. So it is much better to say "product of this reaction is Ag₂SO₄" (which is unconditionally true) than to state "there is no AgSO₄ salt " (which is - in in general - wrong).

The difference between your answer (no such compound) and my answer (different product) is subtle, but very important.

Imagine that you are a chemist (I believe you are working in IT, not as a chemist, if not, I apologize in advance) and one of the persons you have trained at work remembered that you told there is no such thing as AgSO₄ - he will either hate you later as you have teached him wrong, or he will remember he had a retarted teacher, that even didn't know that Ag²⁺ exists.

General idea is not to add unnecessary confusion when it is not needed. Teaching chemistry requires many simplifications at first, but it doesn't mean we have to give wrong information.

Just my philosophical approach to the teaching process.

[constant thinker]

I like Borek's philosphy.