Nitric Acid Oxidation of Silver

3Ag + 4HNO3(dilute) → 3AgNO3 + NO + 2H2O

Aperçu

Dilute nitric acid dissolves silver metal, oxidizing it to Ag⁺ while the nitrate is reduced to NO gas. Silver does not dissolve in HCl or H₂SO₄(dilute) because the H⁺ ion cannot oxidize silver, but nitric acid's nitrate ion provides sufficient oxidizing power. This is part of the aqua regia chemistry for noble metals.

Participants

Rôle Substance Coefficient État
Réactif Silver Ag 3 (s)
Réactif Nitric Acid HNO₃ 4 (aq)
Produit Water H₂O 2 (l)
Produit Silver Nitrate AgNO₃ 3 (aq)

Exemple du quotidien

Jewelers use nitric acid to test whether a piece is real silver, as silver dissolves producing a green solution.

Importance industrielle

Silver dissolution in HNO₃ is the first step in silver refining and in preparing silver nitrate, a key photographic and analytical chemical.

Propriétés

Type
Redox
Réversible
Non
Énergie
Exothermique
ΔH
-85,0 kJ/mol

Réactions associées

Iron(II) to Iron(III) Oxidation by Oxygen Bleaching with Sodium Hypochlorite Copper Reduction of Silver Ion Aqua Regia Dissolving Gold Cerium(IV) Reduction by Iron(II) Chlorine Oxidation of Bromide Copper Oxidation by Nitric Acid Hypochlorite Oxidation of Hydrogen Peroxide Hydrogen Peroxide as Oxidizing Agent (Acidic) Displacement of Hydrogen from Acid by Magnesium

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the equation for Nitric Acid Oxidation of Silver?
The balanced equation is: 3Ag + 4HNO₃(dilute) → 3AgNO₃ + NO + 2H₂O.
What type of reaction is Nitric Acid Oxidation of Silver?
Nitric Acid Oxidation of Silver is a redox reaction.
Is Nitric Acid Oxidation of Silver exothermic or endothermic?
Nitric Acid Oxidation of Silver is exothermic (releases energy). The enthalpy change (ΔH) is -85.0 kJ/mol.