aqueous or liquid

[mollykins]

I'm sure i've been told this but can't remember.

When writing in the state symbols for a reaction, how do you know if something is aqueous or liquid?

[Calibax]

Don’t you just use (aq) after the compound if it’s aqueous or (l) if it’s liquid?

[mollykins]

But how do you know if you're not told?

[mollykins]

Are all solutions (aq) and anything else (l)?

[mollykins]

And the question will give you a clue ie a solution of 50 cm^3 of ~~~ . . . .?

[Calibax]

Only solutions in water are (aq). The question should specify an aqueous solution otherwise it could be solution in alcohol, benzene or any other liquid.

[mollykins]

So anything that isn't a solution in water, or water itself is (l)?

[LauraAppleby]

Solutions are marked as (aq) and liquids as (l). If it's a solution in water it's aqueous. You can have substance as solutions in other mediums though such as ethanol, DMSO etc. If the state is not listed you can also look up the physical properties of the compound, to see if it is liquid under standard conditions.

[mollykins]

But what if in an exam you have to write a balanced equation of a reaction including state symbols, you can't look it up in a book then.