If a copper wire is placed in a beaker containing 1 M AgNO_3, the clear solution

Question

If a copper wire is placed in a beaker containing 1 M AgNO_3, the clear solution is observed to turn blue and a flaky silver color coating appears on the copper wire. Write a net ionic equation to explain this observation. If a silver wire is placed in a beaker containing 1 M Cu(NO_3)_2, what will happen and why? A student constructs a galvanic cell that has a strip of iron metal immersed in a solution of 0.1 M Fe(NO_3)_2 as one half-cell and a strip of aluminum metal immersed in a solution of 0.1 M Al(NO_3)_2 as the other half-cell. The measured cell potential is less than zero when the positive terminal of the voltmeter is attached to the aluminum strip and the negative terminal is attached to the iron strip. What half-cell is the anode (Fe or Al)? Which half-cell is the cathode? Do the electrons flow from Al to Fe or Fe to Al? Which metal is more "active" Al or Fe?

Explanation / Answer

Q1.

The reaction:

Copper = Cu2+ ions

AgNO3 --> Ag+(aQ)

so

Cu2+ + 2 e Cu(s) +0.337

Ag+ + e Ag(s) +0.7996

Clearly, Ag+ will reduce to form Ag(s) and Cu(s) wire will form Cu2+

so

the net ionic reaction

2Ag+(aq) + Cu(s) --> 2Ag(s) + Cu2+(aq)

Q2.

if it was placed in Cu(NO3)

you should NOT expect any reaction

since Ag(s) is much more stable than Cu2+, therefore, no redox reaction occurs

Please consider posting multiple questions in multiple set of Q&A. According to Chegg's Guidelines, we are only allowed to anwer to one question per set of Q&A

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse I
• Subjects

---

---

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.