Copper Silver Nitrate...?

Question

Why does the silver nitrate+water solution turn blue with the added copper??

Answer 1

Because it undergoes substitution forming Copper Nitrate, which is blue:
2 AgNO3 + Cu ---> Cu(NO3)2 + 2 Ag

Answer 2

It is eroding eatting the copper.Letter #
Growing crystals on copper wire immersed in silver nitrate [Utah]

Jan 24, 2005

Hi,

I am the mother of a student in the 5th grade who wants to do this science experiment she saw in a book, for her science fair. The book shows a "tree" fashioned out of copper wire. emmersed in a silver nitrate in water solution. The water turns a pretty blue and crystals form on the "branches" of the copper made tree and when done, looks like a blue pine tree. All the book states is about the tranference of ions, a chemical reaction, and lists water, silver nitrate, and the copper wire in a glass beaker as needed materials. no formula or amounts of silver nitrate or water. I just recently purchased 25 grams of silver nitrate but have not opened the box as we dont want to mess with it unless we find out a proper and safe solution to perform this experiment. The science fair is at the end of Feb 05. My daughter and I would appreciate any information and help you can give us.

Thank you

Answer 3

Copper is a more reactive metal than silver (look up the activity series of metals in your chemistry textbook), therefore the copper will form ions in the solution resulting in its blue color. As a result silver metal will be deposited.

Answer 4

And the blue colour in Coper Nitrate comes from the Copper atoms.

Answer 5

because copper will react with silver nitrate to form copper cation (Cu2+) which is blue in color

Answer 6

its a colloidal mineral