In my lab class we did several reactions and when i mixed the aqueous cobalt chloride and lead nitrate, i didnt see anything happening. are they supposed to react...? if so, what is the equation?
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When you mix the two solutions, you end up with a whole bunch of Co2+, Pb2+, Cl- and NO3- ions floating round in water. Since the possible products, cobalt nitrate and lead chloride, are both soluble, you don’t see any precipitate form.
As for whether there was any ‘reaction’ when you mixed your two solutions: no, there wasn’t. The ions you started out with are the ions you ended up with, and they’re all just drifting about aimlessly, swapping partners all the time: no solid product was produced.
However, the solubilities of the two possible products differ widely. Lead chloride has a solubility of about 1 g / 100 mL H2O at room temperature: the solubility of cobalt nitrate is around 130 g / 100 mL H2O. So, if you increase the lead ion concentration sufficiently - perhaps by adding solid lead nitrate and stirring - eventually you may see a white precipitate of lead chloride form.
I hope this is of some use to you.
As for whether there was any ‘reaction’ when you mixed your two solutions: no, there wasn’t. The ions you started out with are the ions you ended up with, and they’re all just drifting about aimlessly, swapping partners all the time: no solid product was produced.
However, the solubilities of the two possible products differ widely. Lead chloride has a solubility of about 1 g / 100 mL H2O at room temperature: the solubility of cobalt nitrate is around 130 g / 100 mL H2O. So, if you increase the lead ion concentration sufficiently - perhaps by adding solid lead nitrate and stirring - eventually you may see a white precipitate of lead chloride form.
I hope this is of some use to you.