Question

How will you recognize the corrosion of silver?

Answer 1

• The corrosion of silver can be easily recognized by the black layer of silver sulfide covering the surface of the silver metal. When corrosion takes place in silver the color of silver turns to black when exposed to air.
• Chemical reaction: $\underset{\left(\mathrm{Silver}\right)}{2\mathrm{Ag}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}+\underset{(\mathrm{Hydrogen}\mathrm{sulfide})}{{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{S}\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}\to \underset{(\mathrm{Silver}\mathrm{sulfide})}{{\mathrm{Ag}}_2\mathrm{S}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}+\underset{\left(\mathrm{Hydrogen}\right)}{{\mathrm{H}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}$
• Original silver surface can be restored if the layer of silver sulfide is removed.