Total Ionic Equation
What is Total Ionic Equation?
A total (complete) ionic equation is a representation of a chemical reaction in solution in which all strong electrolytes are written as their individual dissociated ions. It shows all species actually present in solution, unlike the molecular equation, and is used as an intermediate step to derive the net ionic equation by cancelling spectator ions. Writing total ionic equations provides insight into the actual chemical species and forces driving a reaction.
Key Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
A total (complete) ionic equation is a representation of a chemical reaction in solution in which all strong electrolytes are written as their individual dissociated ions. It shows all species actually present in solution, unlike the molecular equation, and is used as an intermediate step to derive the net ionic equation by cancelling spectator ions. Writing total ionic equations provides insight into the actual chemical species and forces driving a reaction.