What happens when you combine silver nitrate with sodium chloride?

1 Answer
David Drayer · Truong-Son N.
Apr 3, 2017

The solution will first form a white precipitate, then eventually turn black.

Explanation:

Combining silver nitrate # AgNO_3# with sodium chloride #NaCl# is a double replacement reaction. The positive and negative ions trade places. See the chemical reaction below

# Ag^+(aq) + NO_3^(-) (aq) + Na^(+)(aq) + Cl^(-)(aq) -> AgCl(s) + Na^(+)(aq) + NO_3^(-)(aq)#

The sodium ion #(Na^+)# and the nitrate ion #(NO_3^(-))# do not react and stay in the solution as spectator ions.

The silver ion #Ag^+# combines with the chloride ion #Cl^(-)# to form insoluble silver chloride (AgCl) which is white; it turns the solution black when the solute is exposed to light.

Related questions
See all questions in Reactions Between Ions in Solutions
Impact of this question
30418 views around the world
You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License