What is the complete ionic equation for the reaction of hydrochloric acid with potassium hydroxide?

1 Answer
Dec 5, 2016

H^+ + Cl^- + K^+ + OH^- = K^+ Cl^- + H_2OH++Cl+K++OH=K+Cl+H2O

Explanation:

Hydrochloric acid is HCl. This is an ionic substance so in water it breaks apart into ions H^+ + Cl_- H++Cl

Potassium Hydroxide is also an ionic substance it also breaks apart in water into ions K^+ + OH^- K++OH

So the complete ionic equation for the reaction is

H^+ + Cl^- + K^+ + OH^- = K^+ + Cl^- + H_2OH++Cl+K++OH=K++Cl+H2O

The Hydrogen ion and the Hydroxide ions combine to form water.

The net ionic equation is

H^+ + OH^- = H_2OH++OH=H2O

This is because the Cl^- + K^+Cl+K+ ions do not undergo any changes therefore are not part of the net ionic equation.