Chemical Formulae and Equations Exercise

1. The formula of calcium dichromate is CaCr2O7.

a) Deduce the charge on the dichromate ion.
b) When orange crystals of ammonium dichromate(VI) are heated, it decomposes
into green chromium(III) oxide, nitrogen and water. Write the equation for the
reaction.
2. A precipitate of magnesium hydroxide can be obtained by adding dilute sodium
hydroxide to a solution of magnesium sulphate. Write an ionic equation (with state
symbols) for the reaction.
3. Write balanced equations for the following reactions, including state symbols.
a) zinc + dilute hydrochloric acid aqueous zinc chloride + hydrogen gas
b) aqueous potassium carbonate + dilute sulphuric acid aqueous potassium
sulphate + water + carbon dioxide
c) magnesium + aqueous zinc sulphate aqueous magnesium sulphate + zinc
d) aqueous iron(III) sulphate + aqueous sodium hydroxide iron(III) hydroxide
precipitate + aqueous sodium nitrate
e) solid manganese(II) oxide + dilute hydrochloric acid aqueous manganese(II)
chloride + chlorine gas + water
f) calcium + solid tin(IV) oxide solid calcium oxide + tin
g) aqueous ammonium sulphate + aqueous sodium hydroxide aqueous sodium
sulphate + water + ammonia
h) butane gas (C4H10) + oxygen carbon dioxide + steam
i) aqueous barium nitrate + aqueous sulphuric acid barium sulphate precipitate
+ dilute nitric acid
j) magnesium oxide + hydrochloric acid magnesium chloride + water
k) hydrogen gas + oxygen gas water
l) nitrogen gas + hydrogen gas ammonia gas
m) zinc carbonate + sulphuric acid zinc sulphate + water + carbon dioxide gas
n) ammonium nitrate + sodium hydroxide sodium nitrate + water + ammonia gas
o) calcium nitrate + potassium sulphate calcium sulphate + potassium nitrate
p) iron + hydrochloric acid iron(II) chloride + hydrogen gas
q) sulphur dioxide + oxygen sulphur trioxide
r) copper(II) carbonate + nitric acid copper(II) nitrate + water + carbon dioxide
4. The following are acid-base reactions which occur frequently in chemistry labs. For
each reaction, identify which compound acts as the acid and which compound acts as
the base. Then complete and balance the equations.
a) H2SO4 + CuCO3

b) NaOH + NaHSO4

c) (NH4)2SO4 + Ca(OH)2

d) Ca(OH)2 + CO2

e) NaOH + Al(OH)3

5. Write balanced equations for the following reactions.

a) Iron(III) oxide reacts with carbon monoxide gas to give iron and carbon dioxide
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)

gas.
Potassium oxide reacts with water to produce potassium hydroxide.
Ammonium nitrate decomposes explosively to form nitrogen, water and oxygen.
The combustion of liquid octane (C3H8) produces carbon dioxide and steam.
The combination of sodium metal and chlorine gas yields sodium chloride.
Magnesium combines with steam to form magnesium hydroxide and hydrogen

gas.
g) Zinc reacts with silver nitrate to produce silver and zinc nitrate.
h) Aluminium sulphate reacts with calcium chloride to produce aluminium chloride
and calcium sulphate.
i) The decomposition of solid copper(II) nitrate yields solid copper(II) oxide and
nitrogen dioxide, and oxygen gases.
j) Potassium iodide reacts with lead(II) nitrate to form potassium nitrate and a
yellow precipitate, lead(II) iodide.