Hi! currently stuck on part (b) of this question
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Hi!
1) Addition of excess HNO
3 ensures that all CO
32- ions have been taken out of the solution
(CO
32- + 2H
+ → CO
2 + H
2O)
2) Barium is usually used to precipitate sulphate ions to become BaSO
4, which is white. Barium chloride is soluble, so none of the precipitate formed would be barium chloride.
(Ba
2+ + SO
42- → BaSO
4)
3) Silver chloride is used to precipitate chloride ions to become AgCl, which is also white. Silver sulphate (Ag
2SO
4) is insoluble, so if silver was added first, the white precipitate may contain samples of both substances (silver chloride and silver sulphate), rendering the sample invalid.
(Ag
+ + Cl
- → AgCl)
Hope this helps

Edit: Net ionic equation for first step (had an equation involving sodium nitrate for some reason!)