Question

What is the net ionic equation for the reaction between hydroiodic acid, and potassium hydroxide?

Answer 1

This is simply: `HO^(-) + H^(+) rarr H_2O(aq)` OR `HO^(-) + H_3O^(+) rarr 2H_2O(aq)`

Explanation:

And the complete equation:

`NaOH(aq) + HI(aq) rarr NaI(aq) +H_2O(l)`

So this is an acid base neutralization. Sodium and iodide ions are along for the ride, and remain solvated aqua ions in aqueous solution: i.e. we write `NaI(aq)` or `Na^(+)` and `I^-`; at a molecular level `Na^(+)(aq)` `=` `Na(OH_2)_6^+` for instance.

Bond making is conceived to occur between the hydronium ion, `H_3O^+`, and the hydroxide ion, `HO^-` to form 2 equiv of water:

`HO^(-) + H_3O^+ rarr 2H_2O`

Mass is balanced, and charge is balanced in all these equations (I think so anyway), so these are reasonable equations.