NCERT Class XI Chemistry Redox Reactions Solutions

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Question : 17
Total: 30
Consider the reactions :
(a) H3PO2(aq)+4AgNO3(aq)+2H2O(l)H3PO4(aq)+4Ag(s)+4HNO3(aq)
(b) H3PO2(aq)+2CuSO4(aq)+2H2O(l)H3PO4(aq)+2Cu(s)+H2SO4(aq)
(c)
C6H5CHO(l)+2[Ag(NH3)2](aq)++3OH(aq)
C6H5COO(aq)+2Ag(s)+4NH3(aq)+2H2O(l)

(d)
C6H5CHO(l)+2Cu(aq)2++5OH(aq)
→ No change observed.
What inference do you draw about the behaviour of Ag+ and Cu2+ from these reactions ?
Solution:  
Reactions (a) and (b) indicate that both AgNO3 and CuSO4 oxidise H3PO2 to H3PO4. Hence, both are oxidising agents.
Reactions (c) and (d) suggest that [Ag(NH3)2]+ oxidises C6H5CHO (benzaldehyde) to C6H5COO (benzoate ion) but Cu2+ ions cannot oxidise C6H5CHO to C6H5COO. Therefore, from the above reactions, we infer that Ag+ ion is a stronger oxidising agent than Cu2+ ion.
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