Which of the following represents the balanced net ionic equation for the reaction between acetic acid (HC2H3O2) and potassium hydroxide (KOH) in aqueous solution?

• A. HC2H3O2(aq) + OH⁻(aq) → C2H3O2⁻(aq) + H2O(l)
• B. HC2H3O2(aq) + K⁺(aq) → C2H3O2⁻(aq) + KOH(aq)
• C. HC2H3O2(aq) + K⁺(aq) + OH⁻(aq) → C2H3O2⁻(aq) + K⁺(aq) + H2O(l)
• D. HC2H3O2(aq) + KOH(aq) → K⁺(aq) + C2H3O2⁻(aq) + H2O(l)

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the reactants and products in the given chemical reaction. Acetic acid (HC2H3O2) and potassium hydroxide (KOH) are the reactants, while the products are acetate ion (C2H3O2⁻), water (H2O), and potassium ion (K⁺).
2. Write the complete ionic equation by dissociating all strong electrolytes into their respective ions. Acetic acid is a weak acid and does not dissociate completely, while KOH dissociates into K⁺ and OH⁻ ions.
3. Cancel out the spectator ions that appear on both sides of the equation. In this case, the potassium ion (K⁺) is a spectator ion and can be removed from the equation.
4. Write the net ionic equation by including only the species that undergo a chemical change. This involves acetic acid reacting with hydroxide ions to form acetate ions and water.
5. Verify that the net ionic equation is balanced in terms of both mass and charge. Ensure that the number of atoms and the total charge are the same on both sides of the equation.