[art1]

Hello Everyone. I am havin trouble ablancing this certain equation, I am unsure if it can even be done. Can anyone figure it out?

MgSO4(aq) + NH3(aq) ----> Mg(OH)2 + ((NH4)2)SO4

this was as experiment where I made an epsom salts/water solution then added ammonia to form a precipitate, I am fairly sure that the precipitate formed is the Mg(OH)2 but I'm not 100%. Any help banacing this this would be GREATLY appreciated.

Also would it change the reaction at all if I switched the MgSO4(aq) for NaCl9(aq) (epsom salts for table salt)

kudos

Art

[Alberto_Kravina]

It was an aqueous solution of ammonia, so try to write NH₄OH instead of NH₃

[art1]

 so it would then look like this?

MgSO4 + 2N4OH  ----->  Mg(OH)2 + ((NH4)2SO4

would switching MgSO4 to NaCl change the reacion?

[Alberto_Kravina]

MgSO4 +2 H4OH  ----->  Mg(OH)2 + ((NH4)2SO4

Correct. (I assume that the second reactant is NH₄OH )

[art1]

My bad, would table salt rather than epsom salts make a difference in this reaction? ( as far as the formation of a precipitate goes?)

[Alberto_Kravina]

If you add ammonia solution to a table salt solution (Which is sodium Chloride NaCl) you get the same reacion, only that the formed hydroxide doesn't precipitate since it is soluble in water. In this case it's an equilibrium because the hydroxide reacts with the formed ammonium salt.

[art1]

 The reaction still takes place but there is no precipitate formed.

Thanks for the help I was trying it all weekend with the NH3 instead of the NH4OH something so simple!

If no precipitate is formed how can you even tell if a reaction took place?

[art1]

If  I had the balanced equation (as shown above) would the balanced ionic equation look like this?

Mg(+2)  SO4(-2) 2NH4(+) 2OH(-) -->MgOH(s)  2NH4(+) SO4(-2)