State symbols
Small letters in brackets after a formula that show its state: (s) solid, (l) liquid, (g) gas and (aq) dissolved in water.
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Analogy
They work like labels on boxes, telling you what is inside.
Example
Zn(s) + 2HCl(aq) -> ZnCl2(aq) + H2(g)
In practice
NaCl(aq) means salt dissolved in water. NaCl(s) means solid salt crystals.
Practice
Flashcards
- What do the state symbols (s), (l), (g) and (aq) mean?Solid, liquid, gas and dissolved in water.
Questions people ask
When do you need to include state symbols?
Include them when the question asks, or when the states matter, as in ionic equations and reactions that give off gases or make a solid. A solid forming in a solution is called a precipitate and is shown with (s). Otherwise, word equations and balanced equations can be written without them.
What does aqueous mean?
Aqueous means dissolved in water. The symbol (aq) is not the same as (l). Pure water is H2O(l), but salt dissolved in water is NaCl(aq). Dissolving makes a solution, which is a mixture of the substance and water. Water does the dissolving, so it is not counted as a reactant unless it reacts.