Consider the reactions:
(a) H3PO2(aq)+4AgNO3(aq)+2H2O(l)→H3PO4(aq)+4Ag(s)+4HNO3(aq)
(b) H3PO2(aq)+2CuSO4(aq)+2H2O(l)→H3PO4(aq)+2Cu(s)+H2SO4(aq)
(c) C6H5CHO(l)+2[Ag(NH3)2]+(aq)+3OH–(aq)→C6H5COO–(aq)+2Ag(s)+4NH3(aq)+2H2O(l)
(d) C6H5CHO(l)+2Cu2+(aq)+5OH–(aq)→ No change observed.
What inference do you draw about the behaviour of Ag+ and Cu2+ from these reactions?
Ag+ and Cu2+ act as oxidising agents in reactions (a) and (b) respectively. In reaction (c), Ag+ oxidises C6H5CHO to C6H5COO– , but in reaction (d), Cu2+ cannot oxidise C6H5CHO. Hence, we can say that Ag+ is a stronger oxidising agent than Cu2+.