{
  "id": "net-ionic-equation",
  "version": "9fc922782502",
  "status": "published",
  "name": "Net Ionic Equation Calculator",
  "question": "What net ionic equation do I get?",
  "summary": "Balances a reaction in water, writes the complete ionic equation from the solubility rules and strong acids, and cancels the spectator ions to give the net ionic equation.",
  "category": "chemistry",
  "subcategory": "solutions",
  "url": "https://www.acalculator.org/chemistry/net-ionic-equation-calculator",
  "markdown": "https://www.acalculator.org/chemistry/net-ionic-equation-calculator.md",
  "kind": "function",
  "method": "Balance the molecular equation; write each soluble ionic compound (Table 4.1), each strong acid (Table 4.2) and each ion in water as its ions; cancel ions found unchanged on both sides; divide by the common factor.",
  "assumptions": [
    "Reactions in water at room temperature. Solubility follows OpenStax Chemistry 2e Table 4.1; a state you type, (aq), (s), (l) or (g), overrides it.",
    "Strong acids: HCl, HBr, HI, HNO₃, HClO₄ and H₂SO₄ (both protons). Every other molecule, including weak acids, water and gases, stays whole; water with no state typed is shown as H₂O(l).",
    "Ionic hydroxides that Table 4.1 calls soluble (group 1 and Ba(OH)₂) are strong bases."
  ],
  "inputs": {
    "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
    "type": "object",
    "properties": {
      "eq": {
        "title": "Molecular equation",
        "description": "The reaction in water: formulas joined by +, with = or → between reactants and products.",
        "type": "string",
        "maxLength": 300
      }
    }
  },
  "outputs": {
    "net": {
      "label": "Net ionic equation",
      "description": "The complete ionic equation with the spectator ions taken out, in lowest whole numbers.",
      "format": "text"
    },
    "molecular": {
      "label": "Balanced molecular equation",
      "description": "The balanced equation with the states the page used.",
      "format": "text"
    },
    "complete": {
      "label": "Complete ionic equation",
      "description": "Every strong electrolyte in water written as its ions.",
      "format": "text"
    },
    "spectators": {
      "label": "Spectator ions",
      "description": "Ions that appear unchanged on both sides.",
      "format": "text"
    }
  },
  "defaultAnswer": {
    "inputs": {
      "eq": "AgNO3 + NaCl = AgCl + NaNO3"
    },
    "outputs": {
      "net": "Ag⁺(aq) + Cl⁻(aq) → AgCl(s)",
      "molecular": "AgNO₃(aq) + NaCl(aq) → AgCl(s) + NaNO₃(aq)",
      "complete": "Ag⁺(aq) + NO₃⁻(aq) + Na⁺(aq) + Cl⁻(aq) → AgCl(s) + Na⁺(aq) + NO₃⁻(aq)",
      "spectators": "NO₃⁻(aq), Na⁺(aq)"
    },
    "text": "The net ionic equation is Ag⁺(aq) + Cl⁻(aq) → AgCl(s)."
  },
  "examples": [
    {
      "given": {
        "eq": "NaCl(aq) + AgNO3(aq) = AgCl(s) + NaNO3(aq)"
      },
      "expect": {
        "net": "Cl⁻(aq) + Ag⁺(aq) → AgCl(s)",
        "spectators": "Na⁺(aq), NO₃⁻(aq)"
      },
      "source": "OpenStax, Chemistry 2e, §4.2 Classifying Chemical Reactions (NaCl(aq) + AgNO₃(aq) ⟶ AgCl(s) + NaNO₃(aq); net ionic Ag⁺(aq) + Cl⁻(aq) ⟶ AgCl(s)). https://openstax.org/books/chemistry-2e/pages/4-2-classifying-chemical-reactions"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "eq": "Ba(OH)2 + HNO3 = Ba(NO3)2 + H2O"
      },
      "expect": {
        "molecular": "Ba(OH)₂(aq) + 2HNO₃(aq) → Ba(NO₃)₂(aq) + 2H₂O(l)",
        "net": "OH⁻(aq) + H⁺(aq) → H₂O(l)"
      },
      "source": "OpenStax, Chemistry 2e, §4.2 Classifying Chemical Reactions, Example 4.4 (Ba(OH)₂(aq) + 2HNO₃(aq) ⟶ Ba(NO₃)₂(aq) + 2H₂O(l); strong acids in Table 4.2; ionic hydroxides are strong bases). https://openstax.org/books/chemistry-2e/pages/4-2-classifying-chemical-reactions"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "eq": "CaCl2 + Na3PO4 = Ca3(PO4)2 + NaCl"
      },
      "expect": {
        "molecular": "3CaCl₂(aq) + 2Na₃PO₄(aq) → Ca₃(PO₄)₂(s) + 6NaCl(aq)",
        "net": "3Ca²⁺(aq) + 2PO₄³⁻(aq) → Ca₃(PO₄)₂(s)",
        "spectators": "Cl⁻(aq), Na⁺(aq)"
      },
      "source": "OpenStax, Chemistry 2e, §4.2, Table 4.1 (chlorides and group 1 compounds are soluble; phosphates are insoluble except with group 1 and NH₄⁺). https://openstax.org/books/chemistry-2e/pages/4-2-classifying-chemical-reactions; hand calculation in content.mdx"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "eq": "HC2H3O2 + NaOH = NaC2H3O2 + H2O"
      },
      "expect": {
        "net": "HC₂H₃O₂ + OH⁻(aq) → C₂H₃O₂⁻(aq) + H₂O(l)",
        "spectators": "Na⁺(aq)"
      },
      "source": "OpenStax, Chemistry 2e, §4.2 (acetic acid is a weak acid: about 1% ionized; sodium compounds and acetates are soluble). https://openstax.org/books/chemistry-2e/pages/4-2-classifying-chemical-reactions; hand calculation in content.mdx"
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    "OpenStax, Chemistry 2e, §4.2 Classifying Chemical Reactions (Table 4.1 Solubilities of Common Ionic Compounds in Water; Table 4.2 Common Strong Acids; the AgCl net ionic equation; Example 4.4). https://openstax.org/books/chemistry-2e/pages/4-2-classifying-chemical-reactions (retrieved 2026-10-01)",
    "OpenStax, Chemistry 2e, §4.1 Writing and Balancing Chemical Equations (molecular, complete ionic and net ionic equations). https://openstax.org/books/chemistry-2e/pages/4-1-writing-and-balancing-chemical-equations (retrieved 2026-10-01)"
  ],
  "related": [
    "chemical-equation-balancer",
    "molarity",
    "molar-mass"
  ],
  "changelog": []
}