Here's why:
* Double Displacement: In this type of reaction, the positive and negative ions of two reactants switch places. In this case, the potassium (K+) from KI combines with the nitrate (NO3-) from AgNO3 to form KNO3, while the silver (Ag+) from AgNO3 combines with the iodide (I-) from KI to form AgI.
* Metathesis: This is another term for a double displacement reaction.
Additionally, this reaction is also a precipitation reaction because one of the products, AgI, is a solid precipitate that forms out of solution.
Here's a breakdown of the reaction:
* Reactants:
* Potassium iodide (KI) - aqueous (dissolved in water)
* Silver nitrate (AgNO3) - aqueous (dissolved in water)
* Products:
* Silver iodide (AgI) - solid (precipitate)
* Potassium nitrate (KNO3) - aqueous (dissolved in water)
Overall Reaction:
KI(aq) + AgNO3(aq) → AgI(s) + KNO3(aq)