Question

Identify the type of chemical reaction taking place when silver chloride turns black on exposure to sunlight.

Answer 1

Silver chloride decomposes into silver and chlorine gas on exposure to sunlight. The correct balanced chemical equation is:

$2\mathrm{AgCl}\left(s\right)🡪2\mathrm{Ag}\left(s\right)+{\mathrm{Cl}}_2\left(g\right)$

Such a chemical reaction in which two or more products are formed from a single reactant is called a decomposition reaction. It is a decomposition reaction that occurs in the presence of sunlight and hence it is a photochemical decomposition reaction.