8.17 Consider the reactions:

(a) H3PO2(aq) + 4 AgNO3(aq) + 2 H2O(l) H3PO4(aq) + 4Ag(s) + 4HNO3(aq)

(b) H3PO2(aq) + 2CuSO4(aq) + 2 H2O(l) H3PO4(aq) + 2Cu(s) + H2SO4(aq)

(c) C6H5CHO(l) + 2[Ag (NH3)2]+(aq) + 3OH(aq) C6H5COO(aq) + 2Ag(s) + 4NH3 (aq) + 2 H2O(l)

(d) C6H5CHO(l) + 2Cu2+(aq) + 5OH(aq) No change observed.

What inference do you draw about the behaviour of Ag+ and Cu2+ from these reactions ?


Ag+ and Cu2+  act as oxidizing agents in reactions (a) and (b) respectively.
In reaction (c), Ag+ oxidises C6H5CHO to C6H5COO-,
but in reaction (d), Cu2+ cannot oxidise C6H5CHO.
Hence, we can say that Ag+ is a stronger oxidizing agent than Cu2+.