What occurs when (i) sodium hydroxide is added to silver nitrate; and (ii) ammonia solution is added to the resultant precipitate?
1 Answer
You know that solubility rules follow a hierarchy, and that complex formation can occur with certain ligands. Here, (a) addition of
Explanation:
All hydroxides are insoluble, save those of the alkali metals; all nitrates are soluble. The 1st reaction may therefore be represented as:
The down arrow signifies that the silver crashes out of solution as an hydroxide. The "silver hydroxide" is very poorly characterized. Addition of (a)
Addition of
On standing you will see the white solid darken as silver is reduced to form finely divided silver metal. This is more of an undergraduate than an A level treatment. If you're interested, what I have represented as
How to remember all this? Do the reaction in the laboratory, carefully note what occurs, and confirm with your prof what is expected.