Quick answer
A net ionic equation shows only the species that change: dissociate soluble ionic compounds, then cancel spectator ions. AgNO₃(aq) + NaCl(aq) gives Ag⁺(aq) + Cl⁻(aq) → AgCl(s), with Na⁺ and NO₃⁻ as spectators.
Enter two aqueous reactants. The calculator returns the balanced molecular, complete ionic and net ionic equations.
Related tools: Circle Equation Calculator: Equation of a circle from its centre and radius. Linear Equation Calculator: Solve ax + b = c for x. Mole Calculator: Convert between mass, moles and number of particles.
How to use the Net Ionic Equation Calculator
- Type two aqueous reactants, for example AgNO3 + NaCl.
- Press Calculate to see the result, and use Reset to start again.
| Input | What to enter | Allowed values |
|---|---|---|
| Two aqueous reactants | Text, such as AgNO3 + NaCl | — |
Formula and method
Formula
AB(aq) + CD(aq) → AD + CB; dissociate soluble ionic compounds; cancel spectator ions
IEEE-754 double precision; shown to at most 6 decimal places.
Scope: two soluble ionic compounds or strong acids/bases from a fixed ion table (cations Li, Na, K, NH4, Ag, H, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Zn, Cu, Ni, Co, Pb, Fe(II), Fe(III), Al; anions Cl, Br, I, F, NO3, C2H3O2, ClO4, OH, SO4, CO3, PO4). Products are decided with the standard textbook solubility rules; compounds that are only slightly soluble are rejected rather than guessed. Redox, complex-ion, weak-acid and multi-step reactions are not supported. The equation is balanced by exact rational linear algebra, and atoms and charge are conserved by construction.
Worked examples
These examples are verified: each one is an automated test case that the live calculator must reproduce exactly.
Example 1
Inputs: Two aqueous reactants = AgNO3 + NaCl.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Net ionic equation | Ag⁺(aq) + Cl⁻(aq) → AgCl(s) |
| Balanced molecular equation | AgNO₃(aq) + NaCl(aq) → AgCl(s) + NaNO₃(aq) |
| Complete ionic equation | Ag⁺(aq) + NO₃⁻(aq) + Na⁺(aq) + Cl⁻(aq) → AgCl(s) + Na⁺(aq) + NO₃⁻(aq) |
Example 2
Inputs: Two aqueous reactants = BaCl2 + Na2SO4.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Net ionic equation | Ba²⁺(aq) + SO₄²⁻(aq) → BaSO₄(s) |
| Balanced molecular equation | BaCl₂(aq) + Na₂SO₄(aq) → BaSO₄(s) + 2NaCl(aq) |
| Complete ionic equation | Ba²⁺(aq) + 2Cl⁻(aq) + 2Na⁺(aq) + SO₄²⁻(aq) → BaSO₄(s) + 2Na⁺(aq) + 2Cl⁻(aq) |
Example 3
Inputs: Two aqueous reactants = Pb(NO3)2 + KI.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Net ionic equation | Pb²⁺(aq) + 2I⁻(aq) → PbI₂(s) |
| Balanced molecular equation | Pb(NO₃)₂(aq) + 2KI(aq) → PbI₂(s) + 2KNO₃(aq) |
| Complete ionic equation | Pb²⁺(aq) + 2NO₃⁻(aq) + 2K⁺(aq) + 2I⁻(aq) → PbI₂(s) + 2K⁺(aq) + 2NO₃⁻(aq) |
The first line is the headline result (net ionic equation). Below it the net Ionic Equation Calculator lists balanced molecular equation and complete ionic equation, which describe the same case from other angles. IEEE-754 double precision; shown to at most 6 decimal places.
Steps
1. Swap partners to predict the products. 2. Balance. 3. Write soluble strong electrolytes as ions and keep solids, gases and weak electrolytes whole. 4. Cancel the ions that appear unchanged on both sides.
Where this estimate stops applying
The tool covers listed ions and strong acids, and rejects slightly soluble compounds (CaSO₄, Ag₂SO₄, Ca(OH)₂, AgC₂H₃O₂) rather than guess. Iron(II) and iron(III) are entered as FeCl₂ or FeCl₃ and so on.
What happens with invalid input
These messages are produced by the calculator itself, so you know what to fix.
- Two aqueous reactants: left empty shows "Enter two aqueous reactants." beside that field and no result.
Choosing between the Net Ionic Equation Calculator and similar calculators
Each row shows what a related calculator on this site asks for and what it returns, so you can pick the one that matches your question.
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| [Circle Equation Calculator](/math/circle-equation/) | centre x, centre y and radius | Standard form |
| [Linear Equation Calculator](/math/linear-equation-calculator/) | a, b and c | x |
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Assumptions and limitations
- Limited to the listed ions and strong acids
- Slightly soluble compounds (CaSO₄, Ag₂SO₄, Ca(OH)₂, AgC₂H₃O₂) are rejected
- Fe(II) and Fe(III) are entered as FeCl2 / FeCl3 etc.
If a required value is empty, not a number, or outside its allowed range, the form marks that field with a message and shows no result instead of a misleading number. The automated checks deliberately try invalid entries for two aqueous reactants to confirm this.
Frequently asked questions
What is a spectator ion?
An ion present but unchanged.
How do I know if a product is a solid?
Check solubility rules.
Does it handle redox?
No, only precipitation and similar double replacement.
What does the Net Ionic Equation Calculator calculate?
Balanced molecular, complete ionic and net ionic equations for common double-displacement reactions in water. It returns Net ionic equation, Balanced molecular equation and Complete ionic equation.
What formula does the Net Ionic Equation Calculator use?
AB(aq) + CD(aq) → AD + CB; dissociate soluble ionic compounds; cancel spectator ions. Scope: two soluble ionic compounds or strong acids/bases from a fixed ion table (cations Li, Na, K, NH4, Ag, H, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Zn, Cu, Ni, Co, Pb, Fe(II), Fe(III), Al; anions Cl, Br, I, F, NO3, C2H3O2, ClO4, OH, SO4, CO3, PO4).
What do I need to enter in the net Ionic Equation Calculator?
You enter Two aqueous reactants.
How is the result rounded or limited?
IEEE-754 double precision; shown to at most 6 decimal places. Limited to the listed ions and strong acids.
What are the limits of this calculator?
Limited to the listed ions and strong acids. Slightly soluble compounds (CaSO₄, Ag₂SO₄, Ca(OH)₂, AgC₂H₃O₂) are rejected. Fe(II) and Fe(III) are entered as FeCl2 / FeCl3 etc.
What is an example of a net Ionic Equation result?
With two aqueous reactants AgNO3 + NaCl, the net ionic equation is Ag⁺(aq) + Cl⁻(aq) → AgCl(s).
Where does the method come from?
The method follows: Standard general-chemistry solubility rules (e.g. Zumdahl, Chemistry; Brown et al., Chemistry: The Central Science); Textbook net ionic examples used as the verification set.
Related calculators
- Circle Equation Calculator — Equation of a circle from its centre and radius.
- Linear Equation Calculator — Solve ax + b = c for x.
- Mole Calculator — Convert between mass, moles and number of particles.
- Percent Yield Calculator — Percent yield of a reaction.
- Electron Configuration Calculator — Ground-state electron configuration of an element or monatomic ion, with noble-gas shorthand and unpaired electrons.
- Rydberg Equation Calculator — Wavelength of a hydrogen spectral line between two energy levels.
Sources
- Standard general-chemistry solubility rules (e.g. Zumdahl, Chemistry; Brown et al., Chemistry: The Central Science)
- Textbook net ionic examples used as the verification set
Content last reviewed 2026-11-04. Formulas and worked examples are checked by automated tests against independently computed values.