In: Chemistry
To verify the existence of silver in your solution, one should first form a white precipitate by addition of NaCl. Next, the precipitate should dissolve in aqueous ammonia. Silver can re-precipitate by addition of 6M HNO3. Using chemical equations, describe the identity of the product formed in each step. (3pts) (Your three steps should be after addition of NaCl, after addition of ammonia and after addition of HNO3.)
Suppose it is an monovalent chloride = NaCl
On addition of silver nitrate solution to a solution of chloride in dilute nitric acid, a curdy white precipitate (ppt.) of silver chloride is formed.
NaCl + HNO3 ------> NaNO3 + HCl
HCl + AgNO3 -------> AgCl (curdy white ppt.) + HNO3
This ppt. is soluble in dilute ammonia solution due to formation of an ammine complex of silver which is soluble as:
AgCl + 2NH4OH -----> [Ag(NH3)2]Cl + 2H2O
This complex gets decomposed with dilute HNO3. Therefore, on adding dil. HNO3 to the solution having soluble [Ag(NH3)2]Cl, a white curdy ppt. of AgCl reappears.
[Ag(NH3)2]Cl + 2HNO3 -----> AgCl (white curdy ppt.) + 2NH4NO3