Question

What electrolyte is used to electroplate silver onto a spoon?

• A. pure water
• B. silver nitrate
• C. copper sulfate
• D. acidified water

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

silver nitrate

$Ans:$ $Silver$ $Nitrate.$

In silver plating, the object (eg.spood) to be plated is made the cathode of an electrolytic cell. The anode is bar of silver metal and the electrodyte must contain $A{g}^{+}$ ions (i.e. $AgN{O}_3$), so that when the direct current is passed through the cell, positive ($A{g}^{+}$) ions move towards the negative anode (spoon) where they are neutralized by $e^{-}$ and stick to spoon as silver metal.