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Re: Oh Puleeeeeeeeze

Oxidation is most generally defined as loss of electrons. As silver loses electrons to form nitrates, sulfates, chlorides, anything which causes it to form a salt, it has been oxidized.

From Dictionary.com;
Oxidation;
"A reaction in which the atoms in an element lose electrons and the valence of the element is correspondingly increased."

This is why silver tarnishes, it is oxidized usually by small amounts of NO2 disolved in water forming HNO3, sulfur dioxide forming sulfurous acid or sulfur trioxide forming sulfuric acid all acting as Lewis acids.

From Wikipedia

"Silver is a very ductile and malleable (slightly harder than gold) univalent coinage metal with a brilliant white metallic luster that can take a high degree of polish. It has the highest electrical conductivity of all metals, even higher than copper, but its greater cost and tarnishability has prevented it from being widely used in place of copper for electrical purposes."

"In chemistry, a Lewis acid can accept a pair of electrons and form a coordinate covalent bond, named after the American chemist Gilbert Lewis. The Lewis acid and Lewis base theory is one of several acid-base reaction theories, therefore the term acid is ambiguous; it should always be clarified as being a Lewis acid or a Brønsted-Lowry acid."

You remove the tarnish with a reducing agent. Baking soda reportedly works well.

That's it, no more free chemistry lessons for you, the next one will require up front tuition.


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