Question

What happens when silver chloride is exposed to sunlight?

Write a balanced chemical equation of the reaction involved in support of your answer.

Answer 1

\[\ce{2AgCl(s) \overset{Sunlight}{->} 2Ag(s) + Cl2(g)}\]

When white silver chloride is exposed to sunlight, it undergoes photochemical decomposition. It breaks down into silver metal and chlorine gas. The white powder turns grey due to the formation of silver metal.