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Silver sulfate is an inorganic chemical compound made up of the anions of sulfate and cations of silver metal. The silver sulfate formula is Ag2SO4. Silver sulfate is prepared in laboratories by the reaction of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) with silver nitrate (AgNO3). The bond formed between silver metal and sulfate ions is an ionic bond.
- Silver sulfate is white to gray in appearance.
- Silver sulfate is an odorless compound.
- The molecular mass of silver sulfate is 311.799 g/mol.
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Key Terms: Silver Sulfate Formula, Silver Sulfate, Silver Sulfate Structure, Property of Silver Sulfate.
What is Silver Sulfate Formula?
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- Silver sulfate is a white crystalline solid and the molecular formula of silver sulfate is Ag2SO4 . The other names for silver sulfate are disilver sulfate and argentous sulfate.
- Silver sulfate is a weak oxidizing agent.
- The compound is known for its antibacterial properties and medicinal purposes.
- According to the OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1200, silver sulfate is considered as a hazardous substance.
- It can severely damage the eyes, irritate the respiratory tract and cause skin problems.
Silver sulfate salt
Structure of Silver Sulfate Formula
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Silver sulfate is formed when two atoms of silver form ionic bonds with sulfate anions. Sulphuric acid reacts with nitric acid to produce silver sulfate. In the reaction, a silver ion is formed and the two equivalent silver ions produce the neutral salt along with a sulfate ion.
Structure of Silver Sulfate
Properties of Silver Sulfate Formula
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The characteristics properties of silver sulfate are-
- The density of silver sulfate is 5.54 g/cm3.
- The melting point of silver sulfate is 652.2 ℃.
- It is sparingly soluble in water.
- The boiling point of silver sulfate is 1085℃.
- Upon reaction of silver sulfate with sodium chloride, silver chloride and sodium sulfate are produced. The chemical reaction is given as-
Ag2SO4 + 2NaCl → Na2SO4 + 2AgCl
- Silver sulfate reacts with nitric acid to produce sulfuric acid and silver nitrate.
Ag2SO4 + 2 HNO3 → H2SO4 + 2AgNO3
- Silver sulfate, when reacted with copper, yields copper sulfate and silver. The reaction equation is-
Ag2SO4 + Cu → CuSO4 + 2Ag
Uses of Silver Sulfate Formula
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The uses of silver sulfate are-
- It is an antibacterial agent, thus it is used in antiseptics.
- The compound has medicinal properties and thus it is utilized in the pharmaceutical industry.
- Silver sulfate is used for silver plating.
- It is employed as a non-staining substitute for silver nitrate.
- Silver sulfate is used as a preservative.
Also Read:
| Related Articles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Precipitation Reaction | Chemical reaction | Displacement reaction |
| Carbon and Its Compound | Silver Nitrate | Isomerism |
| Inorganic compounds | Oxidizing agent | Exothermic reaction |
Things to Remember
- The molecular formula for silver sulfate is Ag2SO4.
- Silver sulfate possesses antibacterial properties.
- Silver sulfate is a mild oxidizing agent.
- Silver sulfate is a hazardous compound.
- Silver plating processes employ silver sulfate.
- Silver sulfate on reaction with potassium chloride produces potassium sulfate.
- Silver sulfate is slightly soluble in water.
Previous Year Questions
- Horn silver is? (COMEDK UGET-2009)
- 925 silver means alloy of (VITEEE-2011)
- Extraction of gold and silver involves leaching with cyanide ions. Silver is recovered by? (NEET-2017)
- In silver plating of copper, K[Ag(CN)2] is used instead of AgNO3 because (NEET-2002)
- The molecular formula of ruby silver is (COMEDK UGET- 2006)
Sample Questions
Ques. What is the silver sulfate formula? (1 mark)
Ans. The silver sulfate formula is the molecular formula of silver sulfate which is Ag2SO4. Ag2SO4 is a white solid and odorless inorganic compound.
Ques. The Ksp for silver sulfate is 1.2*10-5. Calculate the solubility of silver sulfate in 0.10M AgNO3. (5 marks)
Ans. Given,
Ksp for silver sulfate= 1.2*10-5
Molarity of Silver Nitrate= 0.10M
Molar solubility is denoted by “s”.
Silver nitrate, upon dissolving in a solution, dissociates into silver and nitrate ions.
AgNO3 (aq) ↔ Ag+ (aq) +NO3- (aq)
[Ag+] = [NO3+] = 0.10M
Draw ICE table for solubility of silver sulfate.
Ag2SO4 (aq) ↔ 2Ag+ (aq) + SO42- (aq)
Initial= 0.10
Change= 2s
equilibrium= 2s+0.10
Solubility product constant for silver sulfate is given as-
Ksp= [Ag+]2 * [SO42-]
Substituting the values, we get
Ksp= [(2s=0.10)2] * [s]
The Ksp it is less compared to initial concentration of silver cation, thus the value reduces to 0.10.
Ksp= [(0.10)2][s]
“s” is molar solubility and is evaluated as,
s= Ksp/0.010
s= 1.2 x 10-5/0.010
s= 1.2*10-3
Therefore, the solubility of silver sulfate in 0.10M AgNO3 is 1.2*10-3.
Ques. Is silver sulfate a salt? (1 mark)
Ans. Yes, silver sulfate is a salt. It is a neutral salt, prepared by the reaction of sulfuric acid and silver nitrate.
Ques. What happens when silver sulfate reacts with ammonium chloride? (2 marks)
Ans. Silver sulfate is a neutral salt, when made to react with ammonium chloride produces silver chloride along with ammonium tetraoxosulphate. The chemical reaction equation for this reaction is-
Ag2SO4 + 2NH4Cl → 2AgCl + (NH4)2SO4
Ques. Is silver sulfate acidic or basic in nature? (2 marks)
Ans. Silver sulfate is slightly soluble in water and acid. But silver sulfate is a neutral salt i.eIt is neither acidic nor basic in nature. Thus the solution of silver sulfate is also basic.
Ques. The Ksp for silver sulfate is 1.2*10-5. Calculate the solubility of silver sulfate in 0.43M K2SO4. (5 marks)
Ans. Given,
Ksp for silver sulfate= 1.2*10-5
Molarity of K2SO4= 0.43M
Molar solubility is denoted by “s”.
Silver nitrate, upon dissolving in a solution, dissociates into silver and nitrate ions.
K2SO4 (aq) ↔ A (aq) + SO42- (aq)
[K+] = [SO42-] = 0.43M
Draw ICE table for solubility of silver sulfate.
Ag2SO4 (aq) ↔ 2Ag+ (aq) + SO42- (aq)
Initial= 0.43
Change= 2s
equilibrium= 2s+0.43
Solubility product constant for silver sulfate is given as-
Ksp= [Ag+]2 * [SO42-]
Substituting the values, we get
Ksp= [(2s)2=] * [s +0.43]
The Ksp it is less compared to initial concentration of silver cation, thus the value reduces to 0.43.
Ksp= [(2*0.43)2][s+0.43]
“s” is molar solubility and is evaluated as,
s= Ksp/(2*0.43)2 -0.43
s= 1.2*10-5/(2*0.43)2 -0.43
s= 0.42998
Therefore, the solubility of silver sulfate in 0.43M K2SO4 is 0.42998.
Ques. The solubility of silver sulfate in the water at 100℃ is approximately 1.4 g per 100 mL. What is the solubility product of this salt at 100℃? (3 marks)
Ans. The molecular mass of silver sulfate is 311.799g/mol ≅ 312 g/mol.
solubility , s= 1.4g /100 mL= 1.4 g/L= 14/312 M=0.04487M
Solubility product is given as,
Ksp= [Ag+]2 * [SO42-] = (2s)2(s)= 4(s)3
Substitute the value of solubility in above equation,
Ksp= 4(s)3= 4(0.04487)3= 3.6*10-4
The solubility product of this salt at 100℃ is 3.6*10-4.
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