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.

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