If a silver wire is placed in a beaker containing 1 M Cu(NO3)2, what will happen?
I don't think anything will happen, but what is the right way to explain this is chemical terms?
You're right. Since Ag is below Cu in the activity series, Ag will not displace Cu ions. Here is the way you write that.
Ag(s) + Cu(NO3)2(aq) ==> no reaction [or you can write NR and most chemists understand that means no reaction.]
Thank you!
Can you further explain the significance of the placement of Ag relative to Cu in the activity series and the effect on displacing the Cu^(2+) ions in the Cu(NO3)2 solution? Or where could I find information regarding this topic?
Here is a fairly complete list of the activity series. As you can see it is simply a listing of metals with the most active at the top and the least active at the bottom. Here's how it works. But first, here is the table.
http://www.files.chem.vt.edu/RVGS/ACT /notes/activity_series.html
Any metal will displace a metal ion from solution if the metal is above the metal ion. For example,
Al(s) + Cu(NO3)2(aq) ==> Ag(NO3)2(aq) + Cu(s) (you balance) OR
Na(s) + H2O(l) ==> NaOH(aq) + H2(g) (you balance; also, I know H in H2O is not a metal but H is placed in this table so one can tell which metals will generate hydrogen gas from an acid.) Like this,
Zn(s) + 2HCl(aq) ==> ZnCl2(aq) + H2(g)
BUT
Cu + HCl ==> no reaction because Cu is below H in the activity series.and
Cu(s) + Hg(NO3)2(aq) ==> Hg(l) + Cu(NO3)2(aq)
but
Hg(l) + Cu(NO3)2(aq) ==> NR
DrBob, for your first example should that be Al(NO3)2 or Ag(NO3)2? Because you have Al on the reactant side.
When a silver wire is placed in a beaker containing a solution of copper(II) nitrate (Cu(NO3)2), a chemical reaction known as a redox reaction or displacement reaction occurs. In this reaction, silver metal (Ag) reacts with the copper ions (Cu2+) present in the solution. The reaction can be understood by considering the reduction potentials of the two metals involved.
Silver has a lower reduction potential than copper, which means it is less likely to gain electrons and be reduced. Copper, on the other hand, has a higher reduction potential, making it more likely to gain electrons and be reduced. As a result, in the presence of copper ions, silver loses electrons and is oxidized, while copper gains electrons and is reduced.
The overall equation for the reaction is:
2Ag(s) + Cu(NO3)2(aq) -> 2AgNO3(aq) + Cu(s)
In simpler terms, the silver wire is gradually oxidized and dissolves into the solution, forming silver nitrate (AgNO3). At the same time, copper ions from the copper(II) nitrate solution are reduced and deposit onto the surface of the wire, forming a layer of copper metal. This results in a gradual displacement or replacement of silver by copper.
In summary, when a silver wire is placed in a beaker containing a solution of copper(II) nitrate, the silver wire will dissolve, while copper metal will be deposited. This reaction can be explained in terms of the relative reduction potentials of silver and copper, which determine the likelihood of oxidation and reduction occurring.