Question

Explain the following:

(i) When NaCl is added to the AgNO₃ solution, a white precipitate is formed.
(ii) An aqueous solution of ammonium chloride is acidic in nature.

Answer 1

(i)

When NaCl is added to AgNO₃, a white precipitate of AgCl is formed due to the combination of Cl^– ions from NaCl with Ag⁺ ions from AgNO₃.

\[\ce{AgNO3 ⇌ Ag+ + NO3-}\]

\[\ce{NaCl ⇌ Na+ + Cl-}\]

\[\ce{Ag+ + Cl- -> \underset{\text{White ppt.(Silver chloride)}}{AgCl ↓}}\]

(ii)

An aqueous solution of ammonium chloride is acidic in nature due to hydrolysis.

\[\ce{NH4+ + Cl- + H2O ⇌ NH4OH + H+ + Cl-}\] Or

\[\ce{NH4+ + H2O ⇌ NH4OH + H+}\]