Silver is sometimes found in nature as large nuggets; more...

Silver is sometimes found in nature as large nuggets; more often it is found mixed with other metals and their ores. Cyanide ion is often used to extract the silver by the following reaction that occurs in basic solution: $$\mathrm{Ag}(s)+\mathrm{CN}^{-}(a q)+\mathrm{O}_{2}(g) \stackrel{\text { Basis }}{\longrightarrow} \mathrm{Ag}(\mathrm{CN})_{2}^{-}(a q)$$ Balance this equation by using the half-reaction method.

Silver is sometimes found in nature as large nuggets; more often it is found mixed with other metals and their ores. Cyanide ion is often used to extract the silver by the following reaction that occurs in basic solution:
$$\mathrm{Ag}(s)+\mathrm{CN}^{-}(a q)+\mathrm{O}_{2}(g) \stackrel{\text { Basis }}{\longrightarrow} \mathrm{Ag}(\mathrm{CN})_{2}^{-}(a q)$$
Balance this equation by using the half-reaction method.

Labs

Want to see this concept in action?

NEW

Explore this concept interactively to see how it behaves as you change inputs.

View Labs

Key Concepts

Redox Reactions

Redox reactions involve the transfer of electrons between species, with one component undergoing oxidation (loss of electrons) and another undergoing reduction (gain of electrons). This concept is fundamental to understanding how to separate and balance the individual processes in a complex reaction.

Half-Reaction Method

The half-reaction method is a systematic approach for balancing redox equations by dividing the overall reaction into oxidation and reduction half-reactions. Each half-reaction is balanced separately for mass and charge, and then they are combined to yield the balanced overall equation.

Balancing Equations in Basic Solution

When balancing redox reactions in a basic solution, additional steps are required to balance oxygen and hydrogen atoms using water and hydroxide ions. This concept ensures that the balanced equation accurately represents conditions in a basic environment.

Oxidation States

Determining oxidation states is essential for identifying which species are oxidized and which are reduced in a reaction. Understanding oxidation states helps in writing the correct half-reactions by tracking the electron transfers between the reactants and products.

Please give Ace some feedback