Silver nitrate (AgNO₃) is an ionic compound composed of silver (Ag⁺) and nitrate (NO₃⁻) ions.
- The silver ion (Ag) has a charge of +1.
- The nitrate ion (NO₃) has a charge of -1.
Since the charges of the silver ion and the nitrate ion balance each other out (1+ and 1-), the overall charge of silver nitrate is neutral, meaning it has no net charge.
Let’s break down silver nitrate (AgNO₃) further:
1. Silver Ion (Ag⁺):
- Silver (Ag) is a transition metal and commonly forms a +1 ion in compounds.
- When silver forms an ion, it loses one electron, resulting in a positive charge of +1.
2. Nitrate Ion (NO₃⁻):
- The nitrate ion is composed of one nitrogen (N) atom and three oxygen (O) atoms.
- It carries a negative charge of -1 because the nitrogen atom shares electrons with the oxygen atoms, resulting in a net negative charge.
3. Formation of Silver Nitrate (AgNO₃):
- In the compound silver nitrate, one Ag⁺ ion combines with one NO₃⁻ ion.
- This pairing of a +1 charge (from silver) and a -1 charge (from nitrate) results in a neutral compound overall, as the charges cancel each other out.
4. Overall Charge of AgNO₃:
- Even though silver and nitrate both carry individual charges, when they combine in a 1:1 ratio, the resulting silver nitrate has no net charge.
- Thus, silver nitrate (AgNO₃) is electrically neutral.
In summary, silver nitrate (AgNO₃) consists of a +1 charged silver ion (Ag⁺) and a -1 charged nitrate ion (NO₃⁻), and the overall charge of the compound is neutral.