Question

How can a radioactive nuclide be used to show that the equilibrium: AgCl(s)⇌Ag+(aq)+Cl−(aq) is a dynamic equilibrium?

a) By measuring the rate of decay of the radioactive nuclide.
b) By observing changes in the color of the solution.
c) By detecting radiation emitted during the equilibrium.
d) By determining the mass of the precipitate formed.

Answer 1

A radioactive nuclide option (a) can show that the AgCl equilibrium is dynamic by using a radioactive isotope like Ag-110 and detecting its presence in the solution, indicating ongoing exchange with the precipitate.

Step-by-step explanation:

A radioactive nuclide can be used to demonstrate the dynamic nature of an equilibrium by introducing a radioactive form of one of the reactants or products and then detecting its presence at various stages of the reaction. For the equilibrium, AgCl(s) ⇌ Ag+(aq) + Cl−(aq), a radioactive isotope of silver, such as Ag-110, could replace the stable isotope in some of the AgCl(s).

If the equilibrium were static, once the Ag-110 is incorporated into the precipitate, there should be no further detection of radioactivity in the surrounding solution. However, if the equilibrium is dynamic, we would expect to measure radioactivity in the solution as the radioactive Ag+ continually exchanges with the Ag+ in the solid AgCl and vice versa, thus confirming the ongoing reversible process at the equilibrium.