Chemical Formula

Silver chloride is AgCl. It consists of one atom of silver and one of chlorine and is used in quite several applications, such as photography, treatment of water, and as an antimicrobial agent.

Physical properties

Colour and Appearance:

It has a white or light yellow crystalline solid.

Molecular Weight:

The molecular weight is around 143.32 g/mol.

Melting Point:

The melting point is roughly around 455 °C (851 °F). In this respect, this indicates its melting point at which it changes from the state of solid to liquid.

Boiling Point:

It decomposes before boiling at approximately around 800 °C (1472 °F).

Solubility:

Sparingly soluble in water (about 0.89 g/L at 25 °C), but soluble in ammonia and alkali metal thiosulfates.

Density:

About 5.56 g/cm³, so it's denser than water.

Refractive Index:

About 2.0, describing the way light behaves in the crystal.

Photoreactivity:

Light-sensitive, and can darken when exposed to ultraviolet light, forming metallic silver.

Chemical properties

Dissociation in Water:

Silver chloride is weakly soluble in water. When dissolved, it dissociates into silver ions and chloride ions.

Formation of Complexes:

Silver chloride forms complexes with ammonia. Treatment with ammonia results in a diamminesilver(I) chloride that is soluble.

Photoreactivity:

Silver chloride is photoreactive. It decomposes into metallic silver and chlorine gas on exposure to light.

It thus finds an application in photographic materials.

Reaction with Acids:

It readily gives hydrochloric acid with other strong acids and can also provide other silver salts.

Precipitation Reactions:

It can be prepared through precipitation reactions by reacting silver nitrate with sodium chloride.

Thermal Stability:

Silver chloride decomposes into silver metal and chlorine gas on heating especially at considerable higher temperatures.

Application

Photography:

Silver chloride is used in the classical photographic process. It responds to the light, forms images upon illumination, and is vital in film photography.

Antimicrobial Agent:

Because of its antimicrobial action, silver chloride is considered useful in medicine, like in wound dressings and other medical device coatings that prevent infections.

Water Treatment:

It is used in water purification, where it helps in the elimination of pathogens and impurities due to its role as a disinfectant.

Analytical Chemistry:

AgCl is used in titrations. The substance is a reagent for qualitative analysis when checking for presence of halide ions in a solution.

Preparation of Silver Compounds:

It is an intermediate in preparation of other silver salts, such as silver nitrate and silver sulfide.

Solar Cells:

Silver chloride is researched in the manufacturing of specific types of solar cells due to their electrical properties.

Electrochemistry:

It is utilized in electrochemical applications, such as the preparation of silver electrodes and many sensors.

Chemical Reactions:

Silver chloride is used in laboratory experiments and chemical reactions that include the precipitation of silver ions.

Conclusion

Silver chloride is a significant compound with broad applications in photography, medicine, water treatment, and in the area of analytical chemistry. Photolability of this compound combined with its ability to act as an antimicrobial substance, makes it important for applications in classical photographic processing and as a disinfectant. The compound also has significant applications in chemical synthesis and electrochemistry applications, which further points out its even more crucial position in applied and research terms. Altogether, silver chloride remains an important compound within practical and research terms.

Other Related Sections

NCERT Solutions | Sample Papers | CBSE SYLLABUS| Calculators | Converters | Stories For Kids | Poems for Kids| Learning Concepts | Practice Worksheets | Formulas | Blogs | Parent Resource