Identify what is oxidized, reduced, and spectator ion in the reaction of: silver nitrate solution & copper solid.
Reduced :
Oxidized :
Spectator :
Molecular equation is:
2AgNO3(aq) + Cu(s) ==> 2Ag(s) + Cu(NO3)2(aq)
Net ionic equation is:
2Ag^+(aq) + Cu(s) ==> 2Ag(s) + Cu^2+(aq)
Reduced : gain of electrons is reduction
Oxidized : loss of electrons is oxidation
Spectator : nitrate ion
Each Ag goes from 1+ to zero
Each Cu goes from zero to 2+
In the reaction between silver nitrate solution and copper solid, the following changes occur:
1. Copper solid (Cu) is oxidized.
2. Silver ions (Ag+) in silver nitrate solution are reduced.
3. Nitrate ions (NO3-) in silver nitrate solution act as spectator ions and do not undergo any change in the reaction.
To summarize:
Reduced: Silver ions (Ag+)
Oxidized: Copper solid (Cu)
Spectator: Nitrate ions (NO3-)
To identify what is oxidized, reduced, and a spectator ion in a chemical reaction, we need to understand the concept of oxidation and reduction. Oxidation refers to the loss of electrons, while reduction refers to the gain of electrons.
In the given reaction between silver nitrate solution and copper solid, the chemical equation is as follows:
AgNO3 (aq) + Cu (s) → Ag (s) + Cu(NO3)2 (aq)
Reduced: In this reaction, the element that undergoes reduction is silver (Ag). The silver ion (Ag+) in the silver nitrate solution gains one electron to become neutral Ag (silver solid):
Ag+ (aq) + 1e- → Ag (s)
Oxidized: The element that undergoes oxidation is copper (Cu). Copper atoms in the solid state lose two electrons each to form copper(II) ions (Cu2+):
Cu (s) → Cu2+ (aq) + 2e-
Spectator: The spectator ions are not directly involved in the redox reaction. They remain unchanged throughout the reaction. In this case, the spectator ions are nitrate (NO3-) from silver nitrate solution and nitrate (NO3-) from copper(II) nitrate solution:
AgNO3 (aq) + Cu (s) ≈ Ag (s) + Cu(NO3)2 (aq)
Hence, the spectator ions in this reaction are NO3-.