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Commercial cold packs and hot packs are available for treating athletic injuries. Both types contain a pouch of water and a dry chemical. When the pack is struck, the pouch of water breaks, dissolving the chemical, and the solution becomes either hot or cold. Many hot packs use magnesium sulfate, and many cold packs use ammonium nitrate. Write reactions to show how these strong electrolytes break apart when they dissolve in water.

Short Answer

Expert verified
When magnesium sulfate (MgSO₄) and ammonium nitrate (NH₄NO₃) dissolve in water, they dissociate into their constituent ions acting as strong electrolytes. The dissociation reactions are as follows: \[MgSO_4(s) \rightarrow Mg^{2+}(aq) + SO_4^{2-}(aq)\] \[NH_4NO_3(s) \rightarrow NH_4^{+}(aq) + NO_3^{-}(aq)\]

Step by step solution

01

Understanding strong electrolytes

A strong electrolyte is a substance that completely dissociates into its ions when dissolved in water. This means that when the substance is dissolved, it breaks apart into its constituent ions, which can carry electric current. In this exercise, we need to understand how strong electrolytes magnesium sulfate (a hot pack component) and ammonium nitrate (a cold pack component) break apart when they dissolve in water. Step 2: Writing the chemical formula for magnesium sulfate
02

Writing the chemical formula for magnesium sulfate

Magnesium sulfate is a chemical compound made up of magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S), and oxygen (O). The formula for magnesium sulfate is MgSO_4. Step 3: Writing the dissociation reaction for magnesium sulfate in water
03

Writing the dissociation reaction for magnesium sulfate in water

When magnesium sulfate dissolves in water, it dissociates into its constituent ions: magnesium cation (Mg^2+) and sulfate anion (SO_4^2-). The balanced chemical equation for the dissociation of magnesium sulfate in water is as follows: \[MgSO_4(s) \rightarrow Mg^{2+}(aq) + SO_4^{2-}(aq)\] Step 4: Writing the chemical formula for ammonium nitrate
04

Writing the chemical formula for ammonium nitrate

Ammonium nitrate is a chemical compound made up of ammonium (NH_4) and nitrate (NO_3). The formula for ammonium nitrate is NH_4NO_3. Step 5: Writing the dissociation reaction for ammonium nitrate in water
05

Writing the dissociation reaction for ammonium nitrate in water

When ammonium nitrate dissolves in water, it dissociates into its constituent ions: ammonium cation (NH_4^+) and nitrate anion (NO_3^-). The balanced chemical equation for the dissociation of ammonium nitrate in water is as follows: \[NH_4NO_3(s) \rightarrow NH_4^{+}(aq) + NO_3^{-}(aq)\] In conclusion, when magnesium sulfate and ammonium nitrate dissolve in water, they act as strong electrolytes, breaking apart into their constituent ions. The dissociation reactions for magnesium sulfate and ammonium nitrate in water are as follows: \[MgSO_4(s) \rightarrow Mg^{2+}(aq) + SO_4^{2-}(aq)\] \[NH_4NO_3(s) \rightarrow NH_4^{+}(aq) + NO_3^{-}(aq)\]

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Electrolytes
When we talk about electrolytes in chemistry, we're discussing substances that can conduct electricity when dissolved in water. This magical property happens because electrolytes break apart into ions, which are charged particles. The ability to conduct electricity is heavily dependent on the presence of these free-moving ions.
A strong electrolyte completely dissociates into its ions in a solution. This means all the molecules of the electrolyte separate into individual ions. This complete ionization is why strong electrolytes are excellent conductors of electricity.
  • Examples of strong electrolytes include magnesium sulfate and ammonium nitrate.
  • These substances, when dissolved in water, break apart into ions that freely move around.
Understanding the behavior of electrolytes is crucial when looking into chemical reactions in solutions.
Magnesium Sulfate
Magnesium sulfate, often recognized by its common name Epsom salt, is a chemical compound made from magnesium, sulfur, and oxygen. The chemical formula is represented as \(MgSO_4\).
When dissolved in water, magnesium sulfate acts as a strong electrolyte. This means it completely separates into its ions:
  • Magnesium ion (Mg2+): A positively charged ion.
  • Sulfate ion (SO_42-): A negatively charged ion.
In solution, the dissociation reaction is shown with the equation:
\[MgSO_4(s) \rightarrow Mg^{2+}(aq) + SO_4^{2-}(aq)\]
Understanding this dissociation helps in explaining why magnesium sulfate is used in hot packs—they generate heat through its dissolving process.
Ammonium Nitrate
Ammonium nitrate is a chemical compound with the formula \(NH_4NO_3\). Composed of ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3-) ions, this compound is known for its use in cold packs.
Like magnesium sulfate, ammonium nitrate is a strong electrolyte, meaning it completely dissolves into ions in water.
  • Ammonium ion (NH4+): A positively charged ion which combines nitrogen and hydrogen.
  • Nitrate ion (NO3-): A negatively charged ion comprising nitrogen and oxygen.
The dissociation equation in water is:
\[NH_4NO_3(s) \rightarrow NH_4^{+}(aq) + NO_3^{-}(aq)\]
This breakdown process is what makes the ammonium nitrate within cold packs so effective by absorbing heat from its surroundings.
Chemical Equations
Chemical equations are a symbolic way to represent chemical reactions, showing the reactants transformed into products. Using symbols and formulas to indicate substances makes it easier to express how chemical compounds change, especially in dissociation reactions with electrolytes.
In dissociation reactions, the compound on the left of the arrow breaks down into ions, which are depicted on the right side. For instance, when magnesium sulfate dissolves in water:
  • Reactant: \(MgSO_4(s)\)
  • Products: \(Mg^{2+}(aq)\) and \(SO_4^{2-}(aq)\)
Such equations illustrate which ions are formed when the substance dissociates. These visuals are essential for understanding what happens at a molecular level in chemical processes.
Ions
In chemistry, ions are atoms or molecules that carry a net electrical charge, either positive or negative, due to the loss or gain of electrons. They are crucial components in the study of electrolytes.
When compounds like magnesium sulfate and ammonium nitrate dissolve in water, they break down into their respective ions:
  • Cations: Positively charged ions like \(Mg^{2+}\) and \(NH_4^+\).
  • Anions: Negatively charged ions such as \(SO_4^{2-}\) and \(NO_3^-\).
These charged particles can move freely in water and are responsible for conducting electricity. The interactions of these ions are what drive many chemical reactions and processes in solutions.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

You are given a solid that is a mixture of \(\mathrm{Na}_{2} \mathrm{SO}_{4}\) and \(\mathrm{K}_{2} \mathrm{SO}_{4}\). A \(0.205-g\) sample of the mixture is dissolved in water. An excess of an aqueous solution of \(\mathrm{BaCl}_{2}\) is added. The \(\mathrm{BaSO}_{4}\) that is formed is filtered, dried, and weighed. Its mass is \(0.298 \mathrm{~g}\). What mass of \(\mathrm{SO}_{4}^{2-}\) ion is in the sample? What is the mass percent of \(\mathrm{SO}_{4}{ }^{2-}\) ion in the sample? What are the percent compositions by mass of \(\mathrm{Na}_{2} \mathrm{SO}_{4}\) and \(\mathrm{K}_{2} \mathrm{SO}_{4}\) in the sample?

What volume of \(0.0200 M\) calcium hydroxide is required to neutralize \(35.00 \mathrm{~mL}\) of \(0.0500 \mathrm{M}\) nitric acid?

Write the balanced formula equation for the acid-base reactions that occur when the following are mixed. a. potassium hydroxide (aqueous) and nitric acid b. barium hydroxide (aqueous) and hydrochloric acid c. perchloric acid \(\left[\mathrm{HClO}_{4}(a q)\right]\) and solid iron(III) hydroxide d. solid silver hydroxide and hydrobromic acid e. aqueous strontium hydroxide and hydroiodic acid

If \(10 . \mathrm{g}\) of \(\mathrm{AgNO}_{3}\) is available, what volume of \(0.25 \mathrm{MAgNO}_{3}\) solution can be prepared?

A stream flows at a rate of \(5.00 \times 10^{4}\) liters per second \((\mathrm{L} / \mathrm{s})\) upstream of a manufacturing plant. The plant discharges \(3.50 \times 10^{3} \mathrm{~L} / \mathrm{s}\) of water that contains \(65.0 \mathrm{ppm} \mathrm{HCl}\) into the stream. (See Exercise 121 for definitions.) a. Calculate the stream's total flow rate downstream from this plant. b. Calculate the concentration of \(\mathrm{HCl}\) in ppm downstream from this plant. c. Further downstream, another manufacturing plant diverts \(1.80 \times 10^{4} \mathrm{~L} / \mathrm{s}\) of water from the stream for its own use. This plant must first neutralize the acid and does so by adding lime: $$ \mathrm{CaO}(s)+2 \mathrm{H}^{+}(a q) \longrightarrow \mathrm{Ca}^{2+}(a q)+\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}(l) $$ What mass of \(\mathrm{CaO}\) is consumed in an \(8.00-\mathrm{h}\) work day by this plant? d. The original stream water contained \(10.2 \mathrm{ppm} \mathrm{Ca}^{2+}\). Although no calcium was in the waste water from the first plant, the waste water of the second plant contains \(\mathrm{Ca}^{2+}\) from the neutralization process. If \(90.0 \%\) of the water used by the second plant is returned to the stream, calculate the concentration of \(\mathrm{Ca}^{2+}\) in ppm downstream of the second plant.

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