Question

Complete and balance the following reaction, assuming an acidic environment, by filling in the missing coefficients and formulas.

Ag(s)+NO⁻³ (aq)⟶Ag+(aq)+NO₂ (g)
• Do not include the state (phase) information.
• Include all coefficients, even those equal to 1.
• Be sure to denote any charges as needed.

Answer 1

To complete and balance the given reaction in an acidic environment, it is important to balance the atoms and charges correctly resulting in the equation: 3 Ag(s) + 4 H⁺ + NO₃⁻ (aq) → 3 Ag⁺ (aq) + 2 H₂O(l) + NO₂ (g).

Step-by-step explanation:

The completion and balancing of the reaction in an acidic environment where silver (Ag) reacts with nitrate ion (NO₃⁻) to produce silver ion (Ag⁺) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) requires identifying the correct stoichiometry and ensuring both mass and charge balance. In an acidic environment, the appropriate half-reactions for oxidation and reduction are balanced separately for mass and charge, often involving H+ ions and H2O. For this reaction, the correct balanced equation with coefficients is:

3 Ag(s) + 4 H+ + NO₃⁻ (aq) → 3 Ag+ (aq) + 2 H2O(l) + NO₂ (g)

During the balancing process, water and hydrogen ions are included to account for the acidic environment, and once the atoms are balanced, the charges must be balanced as well. The inclusion of three hydrogen ions on the reactant side and two water molecules on the product side ensures the balance of oxygen atoms, which is followed by balancing hydrogen atoms and charge.