Silver Bromide Precipitation

AgNO3 + NaBr → AgBr↓ + NaNO3

Overview

Silver bromide precipitates as a pale yellow solid with Ksp = 5.4 × 10⁻¹³. It is much less soluble than AgCl. Silver bromide is photosensitive, decomposing in light to form metallic silver and bromine. This photosensitivity made AgBr the key compound in photographic film emulsions.

Participants

Role Substance Coefficient State
Reactant Silver Nitrate AgNO₃ 1 (aq)
Product Sodium Nitrate NaNO₃ 1 (aq)

Everyday Example

All analog photographs ever taken relied on silver bromide crystals darkening when exposed to light in the camera.

Industrial Importance

Silver bromide was the foundation of the photography industry for over 150 years. While digital has replaced film, AgBr is still used in specialty medical and scientific imaging.

Properties

Type
Precipitation
Reversible
No
Energy
Exothermic
ΔH
-85.0 kJ/mol

Related Reactions

Aluminum Hydroxide Precipitation Barium Carbonate Precipitation Barium Sulfate Precipitation Cadmium Sulfide Precipitation (Yellow) Calcium Carbonate Precipitation Calcium Fluoride Precipitation (Fluorite) Calcium Oxalate Precipitation (Kidney Stones) Calcium Phosphate Precipitation (Bone Mineral) Calcium Sulfate Precipitation (Gypsum) Chromium(III) Hydroxide Precipitation

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the equation for Silver Bromide Precipitation?
The balanced equation is: AgNO₃ + NaBr → AgBr↓ + NaNO₃.
What type of reaction is Silver Bromide Precipitation?
Silver Bromide Precipitation is a precipitation reaction.
Is Silver Bromide Precipitation exothermic or endothermic?
Silver Bromide Precipitation is exothermic (releases energy). The enthalpy change (ΔH) is -85.0 kJ/mol.