Writing chemical equations?

Question

How do you write a chemical equation, for methyl amine (CH3NH2) and nitric acid (HNO3) in water?

Is it:
CH3NH2 + HNO3 + H2O <=> CH3NH3 + NO3 (-) + H2O ?

Answer 1

Since water doesn't play a role in the reaction besides acting as the solvent, it won't appear. If you're writing the full equation, then it would be:

CH3NH2 + HNO3 ---> CH3NH3+ + NO3-

As the nitrate is really just a spectator, the net ionic equation would be:

CH3NH2 + H+ ---> CH3NH3+

Answer 2

not 100% sure but here's my guess:
methylamine is pretty stable so you wont get much of the CH3NH3+ ion. HNO3 is very acidic though. so you're probably right about the NO3(-) but i'd guess that the water would pull more hydronium ions than CH3NH3 ions. should be very acidic. so i guess in conclusion i'd go with CH3NH2 + NO3(-) + H3O(+) as the main products but of course you will get the other ions, just in much smaller amounts. remember oxygen is very electronegative. hope that helps. i plan on checking back to see what other answers you get.

Answer 3

While the H2O stabilizes the ions and probably DOES take part in the reaction, traditionally chemists ignore the solvent
or put it above the arrow or in parenthesis

another way to do it is to write a series of equations:
HNO3 + H2O => NO3(-1) (aq) + H3O(+1) (aq)
H3O(+1)(aq) + CH3NH2(aq) => etc.
where the (aq) means "aqueous" or "in water"

Answer 4

Make sure that you have an equal number of each atoms on both sides so that it is balanced.