Question

What mass of silver nitrate reacts with $5.85g$ of sodium chloride to produce $14.35g$ of silver chloride and $8.5g$ of sodium nitrate if the conservation of mass is true?

Answer 1

We need to know that the law of conservation of mass states that the mass can neither be created nor be destroyed. It remains conserved in any chemical reaction. Look out the reaction which is carried out for the given reactants and the products so formed.

Complete answer:
We will start this question by making the chemical equation first. When silver nitrate reacts with sodium chloride it produces sodium nitrate and silver chloride the chemical equation can be represented below:
$AgN{O_3} + NaCl \to AgCl + NaN{O_3}$
This reaction is an example of double displacement reaction, as the ions in the reactants get exchanged to form new products.
The law of conservation of masses states that the amount of reactants in the reaction is equal to the amount of products in a reaction.
Mass of reactants = Mass of products
Mass of sodium chloride is given, let us consider the mass of silver nitrate to be x g. The mass for both the products that are formed is given so on applying the law of conservation of mass we will calculate the mass of silver nitrate like this:
$xg + 5.85g = 14.35g + 8.5g$
$x = 22.85 - 5.85$
$x = 17.0g$
So the mass of silver nitrate in this reaction is $17g$.

Note:
We need to know that when a clear, colorless silver nitrate solution is added to a clear, colorless sodium chloride solution, white silver chloride precipitates. Silver nitrate is a natural compound that is used as an anti infective agent. It can also help create a scab to help stop bleeding from a minor skin wound.