In the reaction between silver nitrate and sodium chloride, what is the role of nitrate and sodium ions in solution?

1 Answer
anor277
Nov 1, 2015

Both Na^+ and NO_3^- will be spectators.

Explanation:

We go back to simple solubility rules. All alkali metals salts are soluble. All nitrates are soluble. All halides are soluble (except for those of Ag^+ and Hg_2^(2+)). All hydroxides are insoluble (except for previous).

So the net ionic equation representing the reaction is:

Ag^+ + OH^(-) rarr AgOH(s)darr

Silver hydroxide is not a well-characterized species. Its likely formulation is Ag_2O*(OH_2), a hydrous oxide of silver, but you don't need to know this in 6th form.

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