[tummy]

Whenever we write the net ionic equation for a reaction involving sulfuric acid such as say, the reaction between dilute sulfuric acid and a solution of barium acetate, why does sulfuric acid become 2H⁺ + 1SO₄^2- instead of 1H⁺ + 1HSO₄^- because sulfuric acid is only a strong acid with respect to its first ionizable proton right.

[mjc123]

Well, have a think. What might encourage the reaction HSO₄^-  H⁺ + SO₄^2-?

[tummy]

Does this have to do with the fact that it is dilute sulfuric acid?

[mjc123]

Not as such. What happens with sulfuric acid and barium acetate?

[chenbeier]

The problem here is not the neutralisation of H+. Here the Barium and the Sulfate reacts.

[Babcock_Hall]

@OP, Writing the balanced equation might help.

[tummy]

The reaction is H₂SO₄+Ba(C₂H₃O₂)  BaSO₄+2HC₂H₃O₂. Does the 2H on acetic acid somehow then imply that in the net ionic, sulfuric acid must dissociate into 2H⁺?

[chenbeier]

Barium sulfate is not good soluble.

You write it as BaSO₄

What is then the basic reaction behind.?

Think all component are in ionic form in solution.

[tummy]

Right, barium sulfate is insoluble so it is left alone in the net ionic equation, but acetic acid is also insoluble, so shouldn't it too be left alone in the net ionic?

[Babcock_Hall]

tummy,

I see a couple of problems with what you wrote.  One is that acetic acid is soluble in water: white vinegar is water and acetic acid.  Another is that I don't understand why you indicated that something should be left out of an ionic equation because it is insoluble.  However, lack of solubility is an important part of this problem.

[chenbeier]

In the solution we have Ba²⁺, CH₃COO^-, H⁺, HSO₄^- and SO₄^2-.

The basic reaction is Ba²⁺ + SO₄^2- => BaSO₄(s)

So no need to write sulfuric acid in the half dissoziation.

[Babcock_Hall]

tummy,

Have you learned anything about Le Chatelier's principle?

[tummy]

Oh my bad, I did not mean that acetic acid was insoluble, I meant that it was a weak acid, so both Barium Sulfate and acetic acid should be left untouched in the net ionic because we do not write weak acids as dissociated in net ionic right? Also I have learned the basic principle of Le Chatelier's.

[Babcock_Hall]

Do you think that LeChatelier's principle might be applied to this question in some way?

[tummy]

Not really, does it have to do with adding more reactants?