Question

Identify the spectator ion(s) in the equation describing the reaction between solid calcium hydroxide and aqueous hydrochloric acid.

a) Ca++ & Cl-
b) H+ & OH-
c) Cl-
d) Ca++
e) Ca++ & OH-

Answer 1

There are no spectator ions in the reaction between solid calcium hydroxide and aqueous hydrochloric acid since all ions are involved in forming the products.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student is asking to identify the spectator ion(s) in the reaction between solid calcium hydroxide and aqueous hydrochloric acid. In a reaction between a strong acid and a base, the ions that do not participate directly in the reaction are called spectator ions because they do not change during the course of the reaction. For the equation provided, the neutralization reaction between hydrochloric acid (HCl) and calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) produces calcium chloride (CaCl2), water (H2O), and no other products, meaning all ions of the reactants are involved in forming the products. Therefore, there are no spectator ions in this specific reaction.