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Answer
A coefficient of 2 is needed to balance the silver ions:
Ag₂O → 2 Ag⁺
Solution
To balance the chemical equation involving the conversion of silver(I) oxide (
) to silver ions (
), you need to ensure that the number of atoms for each element is the same on both sides of the equation.
Given:
Steps to Balance:
-
Balance Silver (Ag) Atoms:
- There are 2 Ag atoms in
. - To balance, you need 2 Ag
ions on the product side.
So, the equation becomes: - There are 2 Ag atoms in
-
Balance Oxygen (O) Atoms:
- There is 1 O atom in
. - To balance, you can add 1 oxide ion (O
) on the product side.
Now, the equation looks like: - There is 1 O atom in
-
Check for Overall Charge Balance:
- Left Side:
is neutral. - Right Side:
has a total charge of , and has a charge of . The total charge is , which balances the left side.
- Left Side:
Balanced Equation:
Conclusion:
The coefficient needed to balance the silver (
) atoms is 2.
Answer:
A coefficient of 2 is needed to balance the silver ions:
A coefficient of 2 is needed to balance the silver ions:
Ag₂O → 2 Ag⁺
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Extra Insights
To balance the decomposition reaction
, you would need to account for the fact that silver oxide breaks down into silver ions and oxygen. In a typical ionic equation, one might see two silver ions produced for every molecule of silver oxide decomposed, so the balanced equation would include a coefficient of 2 in front of
:
when balancing for oxygen as well.
This decomposition process is central in the world of chemistry, especially within electrochemical cells. Silver ions are commonly used in applications like photography and antimicrobial coatings due to their unique properties. Learning about how these reactions function can be quite handy for anyone interested in materials science or biochemistry, as silver’s ability to serve as a catalyst or an antibacterial agent is often explored in modern research.