Question

Which is the net ionic equation?

Answer 1

I don’t have the specific reaction you mean — could you paste the molecular equation? If you want to learn how to get the net ionic equation yourself, here are the steps plus a few common examples.

How to write a net ionic equation
1. Write the balanced molecular equation.
2. Break all strong electrolytes (soluble salts, strong acids, strong bases) into their ions to get the total ionic equation. Do not split solids, liquids (pure), gases, or weak electrolytes.
3. Cancel spectator ions (ions that appear unchanged on both sides).
4. What remains is the net ionic equation; include states of matter (s, l, g, aq).

Quick solubility reminders
- Soluble: all nitrates (NO3–), most alkali salts (Na+, K+), ammonium (NH4+), most chlorides/bromides/iodides (except Ag+, Pb2+, Hg2+), most sulfates (except Ba2+, Pb2+, Ca2+ sometimes).
- Insoluble: most carbonates, phosphates, sulfides, hydroxides (except with alkali or NH4+; Ba(OH)2 and Ca(OH)2 are somewhat soluble).

Examples
1) Precipitation
Molecular: AgNO3(aq) + NaCl(aq) → AgCl(s) + NaNO3(aq)
Total ionic: Ag+ (aq) + NO3– (aq) + Na+ (aq) + Cl– (aq) → AgCl(s) + Na+ (aq) + NO3– (aq)
Net ionic: Ag+ (aq) + Cl– (aq) → AgCl(s)

2) Acid–base (strong)
Molecular: HCl(aq) + NaOH(aq) → NaCl(aq) + H2O(l)
Total ionic: H+ (aq) + Cl– (aq) + Na+ (aq) + OH– (aq) → Na+ (aq) + Cl– (aq) + H2O(l)
Net ionic: H+ (aq) + OH– (aq) → H2O(l)

3) Precipitation with sulfate
Molecular: BaCl2(aq) + Na2SO4(aq) → BaSO4(s) + 2 NaCl(aq)
Net ionic: Ba2+ (aq) + SO4^2– (aq) → BaSO4(s)

4) Single replacement (redox)
Molecular: Zn(s) + CuSO4(aq) → ZnSO4(aq) + Cu(s)
Net ionic: Zn(s) + Cu2+ (aq) → Zn2+ (aq) + Cu(s)

If you post the molecular equation you have, I’ll write the balanced total and net ionic equations for that reaction.