How Is Silver Cyanide Synthesized?

Silver cyanide can be synthesized through a simple reaction between silver nitrate and potassium cyanide. Here is the step-by-step process:

1. Dissolve silver nitrate in distilled water to make a 0.1 M solution. This is done by adding the silver nitrate to distilled water in a beaker or flask and stirring until it fully dissolves.

2. In a separate container, dissolve potassium cyanide in distilled water to make a 0.1 M solution. Make sure to handle potassium cyanide with extreme care as it is a highly toxic substance.

3. Slowly add the potassium cyanide solution to the silver nitrate solution while stirring continuously. The reaction that occurs is:

AgNO3 + KCN → AgCN + KNO3

4. After all of the potassium cyanide has been added to the silver nitrate solution, continue stirring for a few minutes to ensure complete reaction.

5. Filter the resulting solution to remove any solid particles that may have formed during the reaction. This can be done using filter paper or a filtering apparatus.

6. Wash the filtered solid with distilled water to remove any excess potassium nitrate or other impurities.

7. Dry the silver cyanide by placing it in an oven at around 60-80°C until it is completely dry.

Note: It's important to follow proper safety protocols when handling both silver nitrate and potassium cyanide, as they are hazardous substances. Protective equipment such as gloves and goggles should be worn, and the solutions should be prepared in a fume hood to avoid inhalation of fumes or vapors.