In a double replacement reaction, what do the resulting compounds generally have?

In a double replacement reaction, the defining characteristic is the exchange of ions between two reactants, which leads to the formation of new compounds. This process typically involves two ionic compounds, where the cations (positive ions) and anions (negative ions) are swapped. As a result, what is produced are compounds that contain the switched positive and negative ions from the original reactants.

This type of reaction is often represented as:

AB + CD → AD + CB

Here, A and C are the cations that have traded places with the anions B and D. The products formed are new combinations of these ions, leading to the formation of new ionic compounds.

The alternative options either misinterpret the nature of the products formed or suggest an absence of change, which does not align with the definition of a double replacement reaction. The significant aspect of this reaction is the reconfiguration of ions, resulting in different compounds than those initially present. Hence, the essence of the answer lies in recognizing that the products consist of distinctly arranged ions compared to the reactants.