Question

Identify the product formed and balance the equation.

${\mathrm{AgNO}}_3+\mathrm{Cu}\to$

Answer 1

Metal displacement reaction.

Definition of displacement reaction.

• When an element displaces another element in a compound is called displacement reaction.
• When a more reactive metal displaces less reactive metal from its salt solution is called metal displacement reaction.
• It is represented as AB+C →CB +A

When Silver nitrate react with Copper, blue coloured Copper nitrate and Silver is formed.

Following steps are used to balance the chemical equation.

i) Write the skeletal equation

${\mathrm{AgNO}}_3+\mathrm{Cu}\to \mathrm{Cu}{\left({\mathrm{NO}}_3\right)}_2+\mathrm{Ag}$

ii) Listing out number of atoms of various elements.

${\mathrm{AgNO}}_3+\mathrm{Cu}\to \mathrm{Cu}{\left({\mathrm{NO}}_3\right)}_2+\mathrm{Ag}$

Atom	L.H.S	R.H.S
Ag	1	1
N	1	2
O	3	6
Cu	1	1

Balancing based on maximum number of atoms

iii) Balancing of oxygen

$2{\mathrm{AgNO}}_3+\mathrm{Cu}\to \mathrm{Cu}{\left({\mathrm{NO}}_3\right)}_2+\mathrm{Ag}$

iv) Balancing of Silver

$2{\mathrm{AgNO}}_3+\mathrm{Cu}\to \mathrm{Cu}{\left({\mathrm{NO}}_3\right)}_2+2\mathrm{Ag}$

Number of atoms on the left hand side is equal to number of atoms on the right hand side.

So the equation is balanced.

iii) Write the physical state .

$2{\mathrm{AgNO}}_3\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+\mathrm{Cu}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)\to \mathrm{Cu}{\left({\mathrm{NO}}_3\right)}_2\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+2\mathrm{Ag}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)$