2AgNO₃(aq) + K₂CrO₄(aq) → Ag₂CrO₄(s) + 2KNO₃(aq)
Here's a breakdown of the reaction:
* Reactants:
* Silver nitrate (AgNO₃): A colorless, soluble ionic compound.
* Potassium chromate (K₂CrO₄): A yellow, soluble ionic compound.
* Products:
* Silver chromate (Ag₂CrO₄): A reddish-brown, insoluble solid precipitate.
* Potassium nitrate (KNO₃): A colorless, soluble ionic compound.
Explanation:
* The silver ions (Ag⁺) from silver nitrate react with the chromate ions (CrO₄²⁻) from potassium chromate to form silver chromate (Ag₂CrO₄).
* Since silver chromate is insoluble in water, it precipitates out of the solution, creating the reddish-brown solid.
* The potassium ions (K⁺) and nitrate ions (NO₃⁻) remain in solution as potassium nitrate, which is soluble.
Key observations:
* Formation of a reddish-brown precipitate.
* The solution changes color from initially colorless to a yellowish tint due to the presence of chromate ions.
This reaction is a classic example of a precipitation reaction and is often used in qualitative analysis to identify the presence of silver ions or chromate ions in a solution.