Net Ionic Equation & Precipitation Calculator
Molecular reaction
Type formulas with ordinary numbers — e.g. Na2CO3 (no subscripts to type); the preview above shows how it was read. Write reactants = products and it is balanced for you. States come from solubility rules: strong acids/bases and soluble salts split into ions; weak acids, water, gases, and solids stay molecular.
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The three equations — and how to get the net one
- Molecular equation: balanced, with everyone written as full compounds and a state in parentheses.
- Complete (total) ionic equation: every aqueous strong electrolyte (soluble salts, strong acids, strong bases) is split into its ions. Solids (s), liquids (l), gases (g), and weak acids stay together.
- Net ionic equation: cancel the spectator ions — the ones identical on both sides — and you are left with the species that actually react.
Mixing two soluble salts is a double-replacement reaction; it only "happens" if a product is an insoluble precipitate, a gas, or water. If every product is soluble, all ions are spectators and there is no reaction.
Solubility rules (used by this calculator)
| Soluble | Main exceptions (insoluble) |
|---|---|
| Group 1 (Li⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Rb⁺, Cs⁺) & NH₄⁺ salts | none |
| Nitrates NO₃⁻, acetates C₂H₃O₂⁻, chlorates ClO₃⁻, perchlorates ClO₄⁻ | none |
| Chlorides, bromides, iodides (Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻) | Ag⁺, Pb²⁺, Hg₂²⁺ |
| Sulfates SO₄²⁻ | Ba²⁺, Sr²⁺, Pb²⁺, Ca²⁺, Ag⁺, Hg²⁺ |
| Insoluble | Main exceptions (soluble) |
| Carbonates CO₃²⁻, phosphates PO₄³⁻, sulfites SO₃²⁻, chromates CrO₄²⁻ | Group 1 & NH₄⁺ |
| Sulfides S²⁻ | Group 1, Group 2 & NH₄⁺ |
| Hydroxides OH⁻ | Group 1, NH₄⁺, and Ba²⁺/Sr²⁺/Ca²⁺ |
Frequently asked
Balance the molecular equation, assign states, split soluble strong electrolytes into ions (the complete ionic equation), then cancel the spectator ions.
An ion that is identical on both sides and takes no part in the change — it is cancelled and does not appear in the net ionic equation.
Apply the solubility rules to each product; an insoluble product is the solid precipitate (s).
Weak acids and bases ionize only slightly, so they stay molecular. Only strong acids/bases and soluble salts are written as ions.
Yes — free, no signup, balanced with chempy and classified with standard solubility rules.