Explain the reaction: Na2SO4 + BaCl2 → BaSO4 + 2NaCl.

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Detailed Solution

This reaction is an example of a double displacement reaction (also called a metathesis reaction). In this reaction, sodium sulfate (Na2SO4) reacts with barium chloride (BaCl2) in aqueous solution. The products are barium sulfate (BaSO4) and sodium chloride (NaCl). The chemical equation is:

Na2SO4 + BaCl2 → BaSO4↓ + 2NaCl

Key points:
• BaSO4 forms as a white precipitate, making this a precipitation reaction.
• The driving force of the reaction is the insolubility of barium sulfate in water.
• Such reactions are commonly used in qualitative analysis to test for the presence of sulfate ions in a solution.

Experimentally, if a solution containing sulfate ions is treated with barium chloride, the appearance of a white precipitate of barium sulfate confirms their presence. This makes the reaction both an academic example and a practical analytical test in chemistry labs.

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