When lead nitrate is added to potassium iodide, a chemical reaction takes place and new products- lead iodide and potassium nitrate, are formed. The chemical reaction can be represented by the following well-balanced equation:
`Pb(NO_3)_2 (aq) + 2KI (aq) -> PbI_2 (s) + 2KNO_3 (aq)`
In this reaction, lead nitrate solution is colorless (even though lead nitrate is a white solid) and when it reacts with potassium iodide, it forms a precipitate of lead iodide, which is a bright yellow colored solid.
Another aspect to note here is that the reaction is a double-displacement reaction. The cations (lead and potassium) and the anions (nitrate and iodide) exchange their partners. The lead cation which was bonded with the nitrate anion exchanges it for iodide anions from potassium, which replaces iodide with nitrate ions. Hence, we observe a double displacement reaction, which produces a yellow colored precipitate.
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