Question

What type of chemical reaction does this equation represent?

Ag₂S + KCN -> AgCN + K₂S
O single replacement
O composition
O combustion
O double replacement
O decomposition

Answer 1

The chemical reaction represented by the equation

Ag₂S + KCN -> AgCN + K₂S

is a double replacement reaction.

In a double replacement reaction, the cations and anions of two different compounds switch places to form two new compounds. In this case, the silver ions (Ag⁺) in silver sulfide (Ag₂S) are exchanging places with the cyanide ions (CN⁻) in potassium cyanide (KCN), resulting in the formation of silver cyanide (AgCN) and potassium sulfide (K₂S)