Question

Solid copper sulfide and silver nitrate react to form copper (II) nitrate and solid silver sulfide. Write a balanced chemical equation that describes the reaction. Identify the oxidation number of each element in the reaction. (You do not need to include the total contribution of charge.) Is this reaction a redox reaction or a non-redox reaction? Explain your answer.

Answer 1

Solid copper sulfide and silver nitrate react to form copper (II) nitrate and solid silver sulfide.

The balanced chemical equation that describes the above reaction is as follows:

CuS + 2AgNO₃ → Cu(NO₃)₂(aq)+Ag₂S(s)

In the reaction, oxidation number of Cu is +2, oxidation number of S is -2, oxidation number of Ag is +1 and the oxidation number of NO₃^- radical is -1 (oxidation number of N is +5 and oxidation number of O is -2).

There is no increase or decrease in oxidation number in the reaction. Therefore it is not a redox reaction (absence of oxidation and reduction ) and it is a non-redox reaction. The reaction is double displacement reaction.