In the refining of silver, the recovery of silver from silver nitrate solution displacement by copper metal . Write down the chemical equation of the reaction involved.
In the electrolytic refining of any metal, the anode is the impure metal and the cathode is a strip of pure metal. The electrolyte is a salt of that particular metal which is being refined by electrolysis. Hence, in the refining of silver from silver nitrate, following reactions will occur at the anode and the cathode
Anode: Ag⟶Ag++e−
Cathode: Ag++e−⟶Ag
Here, displacement reaction with copper will not occur as it is not involved anywhere in the reaction.
However, as copper occurs before silver in the activity series, it can very much displace silver from its salt. This will be a displacement reaction. The equation is written as follows
Cu+2AgNO3⟶Cu(NO3)2+2Ag