IChO 2019 · Theory problem 3

About silver chloride

Data at 298 K:

\[ pK_{\mathrm{s}1}(\ce{AgCl})=9.7 \ ;\qquad pK_{\mathrm{s}2}(\ce{Ag2CrO4})=12 \]

Formation constant of the complex \(\ce{[Ag(NH3)_{n}]+}\): \(\beta_n=10^{7.2}\)

Potentials against the standard hydrogen electrode:

Standard potential of \(\ce{Ag+}/\ce{Ag(s)}\): \(E^\circ(\ce{Ag+}/\ce{Ag(s)})=0.80\ \mathrm{V}\)

Apparent potential of \(\ce{O2(aq)}/\ce{HO-(aq)}\) (in seawater): \(E'(\ce{O2(aq)}/\ce{HO-(aq)})=0.75\ \mathrm{V}\)

Part A: Quotes from a chemistry lesson by Louis Joseph Gay-Lussac

The following quotes from a chemistry lesson by Louis Joseph Gay-Lussac (French chemist and physicist, 1778–1850) deal with some properties of silver chloride.

Quote A: “I will now talk about silver chloride, a milk-white solid. It is easily obtained by pouring hydrochloric acid into an aqueous solution of silver nitrate.”

Quote B: “This salt has no taste since it is insoluble.”

Quote C: “This compound is completely insoluble in alcohol and even in acids, except in concentrated hydrochloric acid which dissolves it readily.”

Quote D: “On the other hand, silver chloride is highly soluble in aqueous solution of ammonia.”

Quote E: “Then, we can make silver chloride appear again by adding an acid which reacts with ammonia.”

Quote F: “If you take a bowl made of silver to evaporate salty seawater, you will get impure sodium chloride, mixed with a milk-white solid.”

3.1 Quote A: Write the balanced chemical equation of \(\ce{AgCl(s)}\) synthesis.

3.2 Quote B: Calculate the solubility \(s\) of \(\ce{AgCl(s)}\) in water at 298 K in \(\mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}\).

3.3 Quote C: In a highly concentrated solution of chloride ions, a well-defined complex of stoichiometry 1:2 is formed. On the following qualitative axis (with pCl increasing from left to right), place in each domain the silver-containing species that is predominant (or exists, for solids). pCl values at frontiers are not expected.

Quote D: When ammonia is added to silver chloride, a well-defined complex of stoichiometry \(n\) is formed.

3.4 Write the balanced equation corresponding to the synthesis of the complex \(\ce{[Ag(NH3)_{n}]+}\) from silver chloride and calculate the corresponding equilibrium constant.

3.5 Ammonia is added to 0.1 mol of silver chloride in \(1\ \mathrm{dm^3}\) of water until the last grain of solid disappears. At this moment, \([\ce{NH3}]=1.78\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}\). Determine the stoichiometry of the complex neglecting dilution effects.

3.6 Write the balanced chemical equation corresponding to quote E.

3.7 Assuming that seawater is slightly basic and rich in dioxygen, and that silver metal can reduce dioxygen in such conditions, write a balanced chemical equation corresponding to the formation of the solid mentioned in quote F. A stoichiometric coefficient of 1 will be chosen for dioxygen. Calculate its equilibrium constant at 298 K.

Part B: The Mohr method

The Mohr method is based on the colorimetric titration of \(\ce{Cl-}\) by \(\ce{Ag+}\) in the presence of potassium chromate (\(\ce{2K+}\), \(\ce{CrO4^2-}\)). Three drops (~ \(0.5\ \mathrm{cm^3}\)) of a \(\ce{K2CrO4}\) solution at about \(c=7.76\times10^{-3}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}\) are added to \(V_0=20.00\ \mathrm{cm^3}\) of a sodium chloride solution of unknown concentration \(c_{\mathrm{Cl}}\). This solution is then titrated by silver nitrate (\(\ce{Ag+}\), \(\ce{NO3-}\)) at \(c=0.050\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}\), which immediately leads to the formation of solid A. A red precipitate (solid B) appears at \(V_{\mathrm{Ag}}=4.30\ \mathrm{cm^3}\).

3.8 Write the balanced equations of the two reactions occurring during the experiment. Calculate the corresponding equilibrium constants.

3.9 Identify the solids.

3.10 Calculate the unknown concentration \(c(\ce{Cl-})\) of chloride ions in the sodium chloride solution.

3.11 Calculate the minimal volume \(V_{\mathrm{Ag}}(\min)\) for which \(\ce{AgCl(s)}\) precipitates.

3.12 Calculate the residual concentration \([\ce{Cl-}]_{\mathrm{res}}\) of chloride ions when silver chromate begins to precipitate. Justify why \(\ce{CrO4^2-}\) is a good titration endpoint indicator by comparing two values.

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 3.1 \[ \ce{Ag+(aq) + Cl-(aq) -> AgCl(s)} \]

  • 3.2 \(s=1.4\times10^{-5}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}\).

  • 3.3 From left to right, as pCl increases: dichloridoargentate(I), \(\ce{[AgCl2]-}\); solid silver chloride, \(\ce{AgCl(s)}\); silver(I) ion, \(\ce{Ag+}\).

  • 3.4 \[ \ce{AgCl(s) + n NH3(aq) <=> [Ag(NH3)_{n}]+(aq) + Cl-(aq)} \] \[ K=K_{\mathrm{s}1}\beta_n=10^{-2.5}=3.2\times10^{-3}. \]

  • 3.5 \(n=2\): the complex is diamminesilver(I), \(\ce{[Ag(NH3)2]+}\).

  • 3.6 \[ \ce{[Ag(NH3)2]+(aq) + Cl-(aq) + 2H+(aq) -> AgCl(s) + 2NH4+(aq)} \]

  • 3.7 \[ \ce{4Ag(s) + O2(aq) + 2H2O(l) + 4Cl-(aq) -> 4AgCl(s) + 4HO-(aq)} \] Using the supplied apparent potential, \(K\approx2.6\times10^{35}\).

  • 3.8 \[ \ce{Ag+(aq) + Cl-(aq) -> AgCl(s)},\qquad K_A=10^{9.7}\approx5.0\times10^9 \] \[ \ce{2Ag+(aq) + CrO4^2-(aq) -> Ag2CrO4(s)},\qquad K_B=10^{12}. \]

  • 3.9 A is silver chloride, \(\ce{AgCl}\), white; B is silver chromate, \(\ce{Ag2CrO4}\), red.

  • 3.10 The usual endpoint-as-equivalence calculation gives \[ c(\ce{Cl-})\approx0.01075\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}} \approx1.1\times10^{-2}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}. \] Accounting for dissolved ions at the endpoint gives a nominal corrected value of \(0.01065\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}\).

  • 3.11 \(V_{\mathrm{Ag}}(\min)\approx8\times10^{-6}\ \mathrm{cm^3}\), about \(8\ \mathrm{nL}\).

  • 3.12 \([\ce{Cl-}]_{\mathrm{res}}\approx2.5\times10^{-6}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}\). This is approximately \(2.9\times10^{-4}\) of the chloride concentration that would remain at the same total volume without precipitation: about 99.97% of the chloride has precipitated.

Solution

For the calculations, activities are approximated by concentrations divided by \(c^\circ=1\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}\). These normalization factors are suppressed in concentration quotients below. Pure solids and liquid water have unit activity, and equilibrium constants are dimensionless.

The names and SMILES of the species used in the answers are collected here. Dative-bond SMILES use -> and <- to indicate ligand donation. Both silver complexes are linear; chromate is tetrahedral. Those geometries are not specified by these strings. The salt representations list constituent ions and do not describe their crystal lattices.

Species Name SMILES
\(\ce{Ag+}\) Silver(I) ion [Ag+]
\(\ce{Cl-}\) Chloride ion [Cl-]
\(\ce{[AgCl2]-}\) Dichloridoargentate(I) ion [Cl-]->[Ag+]<-[Cl-]
\(\ce{NH3}\) Ammonia N
\(\ce{[Ag(NH3)2]+}\) Diamminesilver(I) ion [NH3]->[Ag+]<-[NH3]
\(\ce{H+}\) Hydrogen ion, or proton [H+]
\(\ce{NH4+}\) Ammonium ion [NH4+]
\(\ce{H2O}\) Water O
\(\ce{HO-}\) Hydroxide ion [OH-]
\(\ce{O2}\) Dioxygen O=O
\(\ce{CrO4^2-}\) Chromate ion [O-][Cr](=O)(=O)[O-]
\(\ce{AgCl}\) Silver chloride [Ag+].[Cl-]
\(\ce{Ag2CrO4}\) Silver chromate [Ag+].[Ag+].[O-][Cr](=O)(=O)[O-]
\(\ce{Ag}\) Silver atom; the solid is metallic silver [Ag]

3.1

Silver nitrate supplies silver(I) ions, while hydrochloric acid supplies chloride ions. Their precipitation reaction is

\[ \boxed{\ce{Ag+(aq) + Cl-(aq) -> AgCl(s)}}. \]

The other ions remain in solution as spectators.

3.2

The dissolution equilibrium is

\[ \ce{AgCl(s) <=> Ag+(aq) + Cl-(aq)}. \]

In pure water, dissolution gives equal concentrations of the two ions:

\[ [\ce{Ag+}]=[\ce{Cl-}]=s. \]

Thus,

\[ K_{\mathrm{s}1}=10^{-9.7}, \qquad s=c^\circ\sqrt{K_{\mathrm{s}1}} =10^{-4.85}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}. \]

Therefore,

\[ \boxed{s=1.4\times10^{-5}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}}. \]

“Insoluble” here means sparingly soluble, rather than having exactly zero solubility.

3.3

By definition,

\[ \mathrm{pCl}=-\log_{10}a_{\ce{Cl-}}. \]

Consequently, the left side of the axis represents high chloride concentration, and the right side represents low chloride concentration.

At high chloride concentration, formation of the 1:2 complex promotes dissolution:

\[ \ce{AgCl(s) + Cl-(aq) <=> [AgCl2]-(aq)}. \]

At intermediate chloride concentration, solid silver chloride exists. At sufficiently low chloride concentration, the solubility product permits silver to remain dissolved predominantly as \(\ce{Ag+}\).

The three domains must therefore be labelled, from left to right,

\[ \boxed{ \ce{[AgCl2]-(aq)} \quad\big|\quad \ce{AgCl(s)} \quad\big|\quad \ce{Ag+(aq)} } \qquad \text{pCl increasing to the right}. \]

No numerical boundary values are required.

3.4

Add the dissolution and complex-formation equilibria:

\[ \ce{AgCl(s) <=> Ag+(aq) + Cl-(aq)}, \qquad K_{\mathrm{s}1}, \]

\[ \ce{Ag+(aq) + n NH3(aq) <=> [Ag(NH3)_{n}]+(aq)}, \qquad \beta_n. \]

Their sum is

\[ \boxed{\ce{AgCl(s) + n NH3(aq) <=> [Ag(NH3)_{n}]+(aq) + Cl-(aq)}}. \]

Equilibrium constants multiply when reactions are added:

\[ K=K_{\mathrm{s}1}\beta_n =10^{-9.7}10^{7.2} =10^{-2.5}. \]

Hence,

\[ \boxed{K=3.2\times10^{-3}}. \]

Although this constant is less than one, a sufficiently high ammonia concentration shifts the equilibrium toward dissolution.

3.5

When the last grain disappears, the solution is just saturated with respect to silver chloride. Neglecting dilution, the dissolved silver and chloride analytical concentrations are both

\[ \frac{0.1\ \mathrm{mol}}{1\ \mathrm{dm^3}} =0.1\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}. \]

The free silver concentration is

\[ [\ce{Ag+}] =\frac{10^{-9.7}}{0.1} \approx2.0\times10^{-9}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}, \]

so essentially all dissolved silver is complexed:

\[ [\ce{[Ag(NH3)_{n}]+}]\approx0.1\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}. \]

Using the equilibrium constant from 3.4,

\[ 10^{-2.5} = \frac{[\ce{[Ag(NH3)_{n}]+}][\ce{Cl-}]}{[\ce{NH3}]^n} = \frac{(0.1)^2}{1.78^n}. \]

Therefore,

\[ 1.78^n=10^{0.5}, \qquad n=\frac{0.5}{\log_{10}(1.78)} =1.997\approx2. \]

Thus,

\[ \boxed{n=2,\qquad \ce{[Ag(NH3)2]+}}. \]

3.6

Acid protonates ammonia:

\[ \ce{NH3(aq) + H+(aq) -> NH4+(aq)}. \]

Removing free ammonia destabilizes the silver–ammonia complex. The released silver(I) precipitates with chloride. The overall balanced equation is

\[ \boxed{\ce{[Ag(NH3)2]+(aq) + Cl-(aq) + 2H+(aq) -> AgCl(s) + 2NH4+(aq)}}. \]

3.7

The oxidation and reduction half-reactions are

\[ \ce{4Ag(s) -> 4Ag+(aq) + 4e-}, \]

\[ \ce{O2(aq) + 2H2O(l) + 4e- -> 4HO-(aq)}. \]

The silver(I) ions then precipitate:

\[ \ce{4Ag+(aq) + 4Cl-(aq) -> 4AgCl(s)}. \]

Adding gives the required equation, with coefficient 1 for dioxygen:

\[ \boxed{\ce{4Ag(s) + O2(aq) + 2H2O(l) + 4Cl-(aq) -> 4AgCl(s) + 4HO-(aq)}}. \]

Before coupling to precipitation, the potential difference calculated from the supplied potentials is

\[ \Delta E'=0.75-0.80=-0.05\ \mathrm{V}. \]

For four transferred electrons,

\[ \log_{10}K_{\mathrm{redox}} =\frac{4\Delta E'}{RT\ln(10)/F}. \]

At 298 K, \(RT\ln(10)/F\approx0.0592\ \mathrm{V}\). Precipitation of four formula units contributes the factor \(K_{\mathrm{s}1}^{-4}\), so

\[ \begin{aligned} \log_{10}K &=\frac{4(0.75-0.80)}{0.0592} -4\log_{10}K_{\mathrm{s}1}\\ &=-3.38+4(9.7)\\ &=35.42. \end{aligned} \]

Therefore,

\[ \boxed{K\approx2.6\times10^{35}}. \]

Precipitation removes silver(I) ions and strongly favors the coupled oxidation. Because the oxygen potential is supplied as an apparent seawater potential, the calculated constant has the corresponding medium-dependent interpretation.

3.8

The first precipitation reaction is

\[ \boxed{\ce{Ag+(aq) + Cl-(aq) -> AgCl(s)}}. \]

It is the reverse of silver chloride dissolution, so

\[ \boxed{K_A=\frac{1}{K_{\mathrm{s}1}}=10^{9.7}\approx5.0\times10^9}. \]

The second precipitation reaction is

\[ \boxed{\ce{2Ag+(aq) + CrO4^2-(aq) -> Ag2CrO4(s)}}. \]

Similarly,

\[ \boxed{K_B=\frac{1}{K_{\mathrm{s}2}}=10^{12}}. \]

3.9

Solid A is silver chloride, \(\ce{AgCl}\), the white precipitate formed when silver(I) ions encounter the initially abundant chloride ions.

Solid B is silver chromate, \(\ce{Ag2CrO4}\), the red precipitate. As chloride is consumed, the free silver concentration rises until

\[ [\ce{Ag+}]^2[\ce{CrO4^2-}]=K_{\mathrm{s}2}. \]

Silver chromate then begins to precipitate, producing the endpoint color.

3.10

Taking the first appearance of the red precipitate as the equivalence point, the 1:1 silver-to-chloride stoichiometry gives

\[ n_{\ce{Cl-},0}\approx cV_{\mathrm{Ag}}. \]

Thus,

\[ n_{\ce{Cl-},0} \approx (0.050\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}) (4.30\times10^{-3}\ \mathrm{dm^3}) =2.15\times10^{-4}\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

The original sample concentration is therefore

\[ c_{\mathrm{Cl}} \approx \frac{2.15\times10^{-4}}{20.00\times10^{-3}} =0.01075\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}. \]

Hence, to the precision justified by the data,

\[ \boxed{c_{\mathrm{Cl}}\approx1.1\times10^{-2}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}}. \]

The indicator solution changes the total volume but not the original chloride amount. A small correction for dissolved ions at the endpoint is evaluated in 3.12.

3.11

Including the indicator, the initial solution volume is approximately

\[ V_i=20.00+0.5=20.5\ \mathrm{cm^3}. \]

Before precipitation, the chloride concentration is therefore approximately

\[ [\ce{Cl-}]_i = \frac{2.15\times10^{-4}\ \mathrm{mol}} {20.5\times10^{-3}\ \mathrm{dm^3}} =1.05\times10^{-2}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}. \]

Silver chloride starts precipitating when its ionic product reaches its solubility product:

\[ [\ce{Ag+}]_{\min} = \frac{K_{\mathrm{s}1}}{[\ce{Cl-}]_i} \approx1.90\times10^{-8}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}. \]

The required titrant volume is so small that its dilution effect is negligible:

\[ \begin{aligned} V_{\mathrm{Ag}}(\min) &\approx\frac{[\ce{Ag+}]_{\min}V_i}{c}\\ &=\frac{(1.90\times10^{-8})(20.5\times10^{-3})}{0.050} \ \mathrm{dm^3}\\ &=7.8\times10^{-9}\ \mathrm{dm^3}\\ &=7.8\times10^{-6}\ \mathrm{cm^3}. \end{aligned} \]

Thus,

\[ \boxed{V_{\mathrm{Ag}}(\min)\approx8\times10^{-6}\ \mathrm{cm^3}\approx8\ \mathrm{nL}}. \]

This explains why precipitation is described as immediate.

3.12

At the instant silver chromate begins to precipitate, its precipitated amount is negligible, so essentially all added chromate remains dissolved.

The chromate amount is

\[ n_{\ce{CrO4^2-}} = (7.76\times10^{-3})(0.5\times10^{-3}) =3.88\times10^{-6}\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

The total volume is

\[ V_{\mathrm{tot}}=20.00+0.5+4.30=24.8\ \mathrm{cm^3}. \]

Hence,

\[ [\ce{CrO4^2-}] = \frac{3.88\times10^{-6}}{24.8\times10^{-3}} =1.56\times10^{-4}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}. \]

At the onset of silver chromate precipitation,

\[ [\ce{Ag+}] = \sqrt{\frac{K_{\mathrm{s}2}}{[\ce{CrO4^2-}]}} = \sqrt{\frac{10^{-12}}{1.56\times10^{-4}}} \approx8.0\times10^{-5}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}. \]

Silver chloride is also present, so

\[ [\ce{Cl-}]_{\mathrm{res}} = \frac{K_{\mathrm{s}1}}{[\ce{Ag+}]} = \frac{10^{-9.7}}{8.0\times10^{-5}}. \]

Therefore,

\[ \boxed{[\ce{Cl-}]_{\mathrm{res}}\approx2.5\times10^{-6}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}}. \]

For a comparison that accounts for dilution, the chloride concentration at this total volume without precipitation would be

\[ c_{\mathrm{Cl,diluted}} = \frac{2.15\times10^{-4}}{24.8\times10^{-3}} =8.67\times10^{-3}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}. \]

The fraction remaining dissolved is approximately

\[ \frac{[\ce{Cl-}]_{\mathrm{res}}}{c_{\mathrm{Cl,diluted}}} = \frac{2.50\times10^{-6}}{8.67\times10^{-3}} =2.9\times10^{-4}. \]

Thus, about 99.97% of the chloride has precipitated when the red solid first appears. This makes chromate a suitable endpoint indicator.

The endpoint is nevertheless slightly beyond exact equivalence. At the onset of chromate precipitation, the silver and chloride balances give

\[ cV_{\mathrm{Ag}}-c_{\mathrm{Cl}}V_0 = \bigl([\ce{Ag+}]-[\ce{Cl-}]_{\mathrm{res}}\bigr)V_{\mathrm{tot}}. \]

The excess silver amount is approximately

\[ (8.0\times10^{-5}-2.5\times10^{-6}) (24.8\times10^{-3}) =1.92\times10^{-6}\ \mathrm{mol}. \]

This corresponds to approximately \(0.038\ \mathrm{cm^3}\) of titrant, or an endpoint error of about \(0.9\%\). Including this correction gives

\[ c_{\mathrm{Cl}} = \frac{2.15\times10^{-4}-1.92\times10^{-6}} {20.00\times10^{-3}} \approx0.01065\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}, \]

which still rounds to \(1.1\times10^{-2}\ \mathrm{mol\,dm^{-3}}\) at the precision of the stated titrant concentration.

The solution was checked against the official solution.