[jsmith613]

According to some reading, AgCl + HNO3 cannot occur as a reaction. The implied answer was that AgCl is insoluble in HNO3. How does this affect the reaction? MgCO3 reacts with HCl, even though MgCO3 is insoluble.

Please help

[UG]

But magnesium carbonate is basic, so it'll react with nitric acid. Silver chloride is not basic.

[jsmith613]

But magnesium carbonate is basic, so it'll react with nitric acid. Silver chloride is not basic.

The source i read mentioned nothing about base / acid. What has the insolubility got to do with anything.

[UG]

AgCl is insoluble in nitric acid because it doens't react with it. Magnesium carbonate is soluble because it does react.
CO₃^2- + 2H⁺  H₂O + CO₂ this reaction keeps removing carbonate ions from the solution so more magnesium carbonate dissolves in order to provide more carbonate anions

[jsmith613]

AgCl is insoluble in nitric acid because it doens't react with it. Magnesium carbonate is soluble because it does react.
CO₃^2- + 2H⁺  H₂O + CO₂ this reaction keeps removing carbonate ions from the solution so more magnesium carbonate dissolves in order to provide more carbonate anions

this still doesn't answer the key question: why is there no reaction?

[UG]

Chloride ion is not basic, Cl^- + H⁺  no reaction.

[jsmith613]

Chloride ion is not basic, Cl^- + H⁺  no reaction.

why cant an acid react with acid?

[UG]

Silver chloride is neither acidic nor basic.

[jsmith613]

Silver chloride is neither acidic nor basic.

then I am even more lost. Why can't a neutral salt react with an acid?

[UG]

React with acid and form what?
If you have your AgCl in some water, you're going to have a bit of Ag⁺ and Cl^- ions drifting around, you are always going to get this, no matter how insoluble the ionic solid is. Then you add some acid, so now you have H⁺ and NO₃^- floating around in the water, how are they going to react?
Ag⁺ + NO₃^- no reaction
Ag⁺ + Cl^-  you'll just get more solid
Cl^- + H⁺  is not going to give you hydrogen chloride gas because it just doesn't happen

[jsmith613]

React with acid and form what?
If you have your AgCl in some water, you're going to have a bit of Ag⁺ and Cl^- ions drifting around, you are always going to get this, no matter how insoluble the ionic solid is. Then you add some acid, so now you have H⁺ and NO₃^- floating around in the water, how are they going to react?
Ag⁺ + NO₃^- no reaction
Ag⁺ + Cl^-  you'll just get more solid
Cl^- + H⁺  is not going to give you hydrogen chloride gas because it just doesn't happen

why cant Ag⁺ react with NO₃ and why cant cl^- react with H⁺

[UG]

Ag⁺ and NO₃^- is not just going to combine to give you solid silver nitrate because it is totally soluble in water, once any solid forms, it'll just dissolve and form the hydrated ions again.
H⁺ + Cl^- gives no reaction because remember, if they did react, they'll form HCl, and you and I both know for a fact that HCl is a strong acid, so it is fully deprotonated in water, so if any forms, it'll just dissociate into Cl^- and H⁺ ions again.

[jsmith613]

Ag⁺ and NO₃^- is not just going to combine to give you solid silver nitrate because it is totally soluble in water, once any solid forms, it'll just dissolve and form the hydrated ions again.
H⁺ + Cl^- gives no reaction because remember, if they did react, they'll form HCl, and you and I both know for a fact that HCl is a strong acid, so it is fully deprotonated in water, so if any forms, it'll just dissociate into Cl^- and H⁺ ions again.

Thank you so much. I know actually understand. !!!!

[nj_bartel]

Silver chloride is neither acidic nor basic.

It's acidic, isn't it?  Lewis acid?  Oxidized silver is a pretty decent electron acceptor.

[UG]

Okay, so maybe I should have said it is not a Brønsted-Lowry acid or base, happy now?