sferic

I recently did 4 demonstrations where I put copper wire into a solution of silver nitrate, AgNO3. The reaction is single displacement where the silver ions come out of solution, replace the copper atoms on the wire and those copper atoms become charged ions and go into solution where the silver ions were.

I can recover silver metal this way. After 4 demonstrations, I recovered .0152 oz (.431g) of silver metal. How much could I get from this?





At this moment it's about 17.08 USD per oz. If I do the conversion correctly, I could get a whopping $.26 for my efforts.

Consequently, my 4 tiny demonstrations cost me approximately $17.04 in supplies. Copper is going at $377.55/lb ($1.70 for my 30 cm wire) and 80 mL of silver nitrate cost me $15.34.

My students have been asking me why we can't just make silver (and therefore loads of money) with silver nitrate and copper...well, kids, this is why!

I spend $17.04 on supplies to make $.26 off of silver. I spent 66 times more in supplies than I get back in the silver I make!!