Question

What is the chemical equation for aqueous sodium chloride and aqueous silver nitrate react to form solid silver chloride and aqueous sodium nitrate?

Answer 1

`AgNO_3(aq) + NaCl(aq) rarr NaNO_3(aq) + AgCl(s)darr`

Explanation:

This reaction is commonly used to illustrate basic solubility rules, and solubility equilibria.

All nitrates are soluble, hence silver nitrate is soluble; and all halides are soluble, EXCEPT for `AgX`, `PbX_2`, and `Hg_2X_2`.

Thus silver nitrate is soluble, but silver chloride precipitates from solution as a curdy white solid.

We write the net ionic equation as:

`Ag^(+) + X^(-) rarr AgX(s)darr`

Silver chloride is a curdy white solid; silver bromide is a creamy yellow; and silver iodide is bright yellow. (On standing the silver halides tend to reduce to silver metal, and the precipitates darken.)