Question

Question 14

In the refining of silver, the recovery of silver from silver nitrate solution involves displacement by copper metal. Write down the reaction involved.

Answer 1

• The silver nitrate is in solution and the metallic copper will dissolve to form copper nitrate; as it does, it will precipitate the silver in solution as metallic silver.
• That is, copper is exchanged for the silver in solution and silver is replaced by the copper that is not in solution.​
• The reaction involved is given below:

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

Silver nitrate + Copper $\to$ Copper nitrate + Silver