Silver articles become black on prolonged exposure to air. This is due to the formation of
(a) Ag3N
(b) Ag2O
(c) Ag2S
(d) Ag2S and Ag3N
Ans. (c)
Silver article become black because silver reacts with H2S gas present in air to form black coating of Ag2S.
2 Ag + O2 → Ag2O
4 Ag + 2 H2S + 2O2 → 2Ag2S + 2 H2O
Ag2O is brown in colour and of Ag2S is black.
Therefore option (C) is correct