Question

Give the balanced equation for the action of heat on the following compound:

Silver oxide.

Answer 1

Action of heat on silver oxide(${\mathrm{Ag}}_2\mathrm{O}$):

• On heating, silver oxide decomposes into silver and oxygen.
• This is a decomposition reaction.

Decomposition reaction:

• When the molecules of one substance split into two or more simpler substances, the reaction is called a decomposition reaction.
• These reactions are brought about in the presence of an external agent such as heat, light, and electricity.

The balanced equation is:

$$\begin{gathered} 2{\mathrm{Ag}}_2\mathrm{O}\stackrel{∆}{\to }4\mathrm{Ag}+{\mathrm{O}}_2 \\ \mathrm{Silver}\mathrm{oxide}\mathrm{Silver}\mathrm{Oxygen} \end{gathered}$$