Precipitated Silver: Silver Chloride Reduced by Zinc in Acidulated Water (Thorpe 1913)

Fine silver powder without melting anything. Hydrochloric acid throws silver out of solution as white silver chloride. Zinc in slightly acid water then takes the chlorine away and leaves the silver as a grey powder. Source: Thorpe, Dictionary of Applied Chemistry, vol. 4 (1913), Silver. Thorpe gives no amounts, times or end-point. Ours: a silver nitrate solution, zinc sheet strips, hydrochloric acid of the two acids he names, and the washing and drying. Picture drawn by Youblob.