Characteristic Reactions of Silver Ions (Ag⁺)
- Page ID
- 97276
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)- Most common oxidation state: +1
- M.P. 961º
- B.P. 2210º
- Density 10.49 g/cm3
- Characteristics: Silver is a inactive metal. It will react with hot concentrated \(\ce{H2SO4}\), with \(\ce{HNO3}\), and with aqua regia.
- Characteristic reactions of \(\ce{Ag^{+}}\):
Chloride Ion
Soluble chlorides, such as hydrochloric acid, precipitate silver ion as white silver(I) chloride.
\[\ce{Ag^{+}(aq) + Cl^{-}(aq) <=> AgCl(s)} \nonumber \] 
Silver(I) chloride is insoluble in acids, including \(\ce{HNO3}\). The precipitate does dissolve in aqueous ammonia:
\[\ce{AgCl(s) + 2NH3(aq) <=> [Ag(NH3)2]^{+}(aq) + Cl-(aq)} \nonumber \] 
Addition of an acid to this solution, such as \(\ce{HNO3}\), destroys the complex ion and re-precipitates silver(I) chloride:
\[\ce{[Ag(NH3)2]+(aq) + Cl^{-}(aq) + 2H^{+}(aq) <=> AgCl(s) + 2NH4^{+}(aq) } \nonumber \]
Sulfate Ion
No reaction occurs on addition of sulfate ion unless the concentration of \(\ce{Ag^{+}}\) is high, in which case silver(I) sulfate precipitates.
Aqueous Ammonia
Aqueous ammonia precipitates brown \(\ce{Ag2O}\):
\[\ce{2Ag^{+}(aq) + 2NH3(aq) + 2H2O(l) <=> Ag2O(s) + 2NH4^{+}(aq) + H2O(l)} \nonumber \]
The silver(I) oxide precipitate dissolves in excess ammonia to form a colorless complex ion:
\[\ce{Ag2O(s) + 4NH3(aq) + H2O(l) <=> 2[Ag(NH3)2]^{+}(aq) + 2OH^{-}(aq) } \nonumber \]
Sodium Hydroxide
Sodium hydroxide precipitates silver(I) oxide:
\[\ce{2Ag^{+}(aq) + 2OH^{-}(aq) <=> Ag2O(s) + H2O(l)} \nonumber \]
Silver(I) oxide does not dissolve in excess \(\ce{NaOH}\).