What Ions are Present When Nickel(II) Chloride Dissolves in Water?

When nickel(II) chloride (NiCl₂) dissolves in water, it dissociates into its constituent ions. The dissolution can be represented by the following equation:

NiCl₂ (s) → Ni²⁺ (aq) + 2 Cl^– (aq)

This means that in the aqueous solution, there are two types of ions present:

• Nickel ion (Ni²⁺): This is the cation that gives the solution its characteristic light green color.
• Chloride ions (Cl^–): These anions are present in double the amount compared to the nickel ions, balancing the charge in the solution.

So, the formulas for the ions swimming around in the aqueous solution are:

• Ni²⁺
• 2 Cl^–