Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Having trouble making silver nitrate

Booze - 28-3-2017 at 16:03

Yes, I already tried to research this with no luck. I made some nitric acid the other day, and now I want to make some silver nitrate for tollen's test. So I got myself a bar of pure silver and stuck it in the acid I made.

I didn't expect a reaction to start, so I got my hot plate. When I came back, a white, insoluble powder was forming around the silver and settling at the bottom. I have my doubts this is silver nitrate.



[Edited on 29-3-2017 by Booze]

ahill - 28-3-2017 at 16:22


Why do you doubt the powder is silver nitrate ?

Silver nitrate is insoluble in concentrated nitric acid..this is the kind of thing you'd expect.

Unless your nitric acid or your silver bar is particularly suspect - what else is it going to be ?

I made silver nitrate once a few years ago, and I seem to remember it had a fairly obvious crystalline appearance right from the get-go - although I dont think my nitric acid was especially concentrated.

btw - tollen's reagent looks cool - what are you planning to do with it ?

[Edited on 29-3-2017 by ahill]

Booze - 28-3-2017 at 16:36

Could I just use the powder instead of recrystalyzing it?

I was going to make a silver mirror. I have a round bottom I never used, so I figured why not?

ahill - 29-3-2017 at 19:28

I'm sure you could. I dont think re-crystallisation is a normal part of this procedure.

Letting the process run to completion, then drying the product while keeping it out of the light and away from suicidal insects and little kids was my challenge.

Booze - 29-3-2017 at 20:43

Quote: Originally posted by ahill  
I'm sure you could. I dont think re-crystallisation is a normal part of this procedure.

Letting the process run to completion, then drying the product while keeping it out of the light and away from suicidal insects and little kids was my challenge.

Your kids actively eat any white powder they can find?

The only way I could let it dry in darkness was if I put a cardboard box on top of the filter paper I had. And even then a streak of light found it.