Question

The metal whose salts are sensitive to light is?

• A. Zinc
• B. Silver
• C. Copper
• D. Aluminum

Answer 1

The correct option is B

Silver

The correct option is B.

Explanations of the correct option:

Option B:

1. Silver salts are highly sensitive to light.
2. Silver and other different halogens form different salts of silver.
3. Mainly this is used for providing color to the photographic films.
4. On exposure to sunlight they start decomposing and split up into their respective constituents.

Silver chloride (AgCl):

1. The compound silver chloride is light-sensitive.
2. It gets easily decomposed in a photolytic reaction.
3. It quickly reacts with light, losing its characteristic and forming chlorine gas and silver. As a result, silver chloride is kept in dark-colored bottles.
4. 2AgCl→2Ag + Cl₂

Explanations of the incorrect options:

Option A:

1. Zinc salts are not sensitive to light.
2. Compounds composed of
3. Zinc compounds can get dark upon exposure to ultraviolet light.
4. This is an incorrect option.

Option C:

1. Copper is not sensitive to light.
2. Copper is highly electrically conductive, hence it is also known as a superconductor.
3. This is an incorrect option.

Option D:

1. This is an incorrect option as aluminum is not sensitive to light.
2. It has high thermal conductivity, and excellent corrosion resistance, and can be easily cast, machined, and formed.
3. It is a non-magnetic metal.

Final answer: The metal whose salts are sensitive to light is silver.