Solid sodium chloride and solid silver nitrate react to form sodium nitrate and silver chloride. The reaction is extremely slow. However, if the sodium chloride and silver nitrate are first dissolved in water and the two solutions are mixed, the reaction occurs very rapidly. Which of the following explains the difference in reaction rates?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When the solid sodium chloride and solid silver nitrate are dissolved in water, they ionize into sodium ions, chloride ions, silver ions, and nitrate ions. The mobility of the ions in solution allows them to collide and react more easily than in the solid state. Additionally, the opposite charges of the ions attract each other and facilitate the reaction. Therefore, option A explains the difference in reaction rates. Option B is incorrect because the concentration of ions in a solid can be higher than in a solution, but that does not necessarily affect the reaction rate. Options C and D are also incorrect because both sodium chloride solution and silver nitrate solution have ions that can react with each other when mixed.

Solid Sodium Chloride and Solid Silver Nitrate React to Form