Description of experiment
Below follows a plain text transcript of the selected experiment.
Needed compounds:
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magnesium : Mg
silver nitrate : AgNO3
Class:
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elem=Ag,Mg
redox
Summary:
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Silver nitrate reacts very violently with magnesium, but only if the reaction
is started by adding some water. Once the reaction runs, it continues
through the dry mixture.
Description:
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Take a SMALL amount of silver nitrate and a similar amount of powdered
magnesium and mix these two solids with an ABSOLUTELY dry spatula. The result
is a small heap of a mixture of magnesium and silver nitrate. The mix should
be on a flat, clean and fireproof tile. A glass tile will serve the purpose,
but it will be molten a little after the experiment!
Next add a small drop of water: The outcome of the experiment varies somewhat
from one time to another time. In one of the experiments there was an instant
very bright flash. In another experiment there was some hissing and visible
formation of nitrogen dioxide and the reaction could be followed, while it
slowly went through the mixture of silver nitrate and magnesium. When the
reaction was halfway, it suddenly continued with a very bright flash, just as
in the first experiment.
After the bright flash, small globules of a metal (probably silver) can be
observed. There also is a small amount of smoke and some black and brown
solid.