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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.
Beginner
1 day
Instructions
1
1
Dissolve silver nitrate in water
Dissolve silver nitrate in water
Ours: dissolve silver nitrate in distilled water as the silver solution. Silver nitrate stains and burns skin: gloves and goggles.
Materials for this step:
Silver Nitrate1 as required
Distilled Water1 as requiredTools needed:
Borosilicate Beaker
Borosilicate Glass Rod
Nitrile Gloves
Chemical Splash Goggles2
2
Throw down silver chloride with hydrochloric acid
Throw down silver chloride with hydrochloric acid
Add hydrochloric acid to the solution. White silver chloride falls. Ours: add it while it still makes a precipitate, let it settle and pour off the liquid.
Materials for this step:
Hydrochloric Acid1 as requiredTools needed:
Borosilicate BeakerBorosilicate Glass RodNitrile GlovesChemical Splash Goggles3
3
Reduce the chloride with zinc in acid water
Reduce the chloride with zinc in acid water
Cover the chloride with water made slightly acid with hydrochloric acid (Thorpe: hydrochloric or sulphuric) and put zinc in it. The zinc reduces the chloride to silver. Ours: strips of zinc sheet, left in until no white chloride is left. Time not given.
Materials for this step:
Zinc Sheet1 as requiredHydrochloric Acid1 as requiredDistilled Water1 as requiredTools needed:
Borosilicate BeakerBorosilicate Glass RodNitrile GlovesChemical Splash Goggles4
4
Take out the zinc, wash and dry the silver
Take out the zinc, wash and dry the silver
Ours: lift out what is left of the zinc, wash the grey silver powder with water until the washings are no longer acid, filter, and dry it. Keep it in a closed jar.
Tools needed:
Distilled Water
Filter Paper
Drying Oven
Glass JarMaterials
4- 1 as requiredPlaceholder
- 2 as requiredPlaceholder
- 2 as requiredPlaceholder
- 1 as requiredPlaceholder
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