The+Silver+Mirror+-+George

= Silver Mirror- Tollen's Test =

**Materials:** - Empty flask or glass container (250 mL flask is used in this procedure) - Bottle of mixture of glucose/fructose (A) - Bottle of Silver Nitrate (B) - Bottle of Sodium Hydroxide (C) - 3 pipettes - 3 graduated cylinders - Beaker to dump excess solution (sink is better)

=== Procedure: 1. Prepare and organize materials in order of A then B then C. Put one pipette and one grad cylinder next to each bottle. 2. Put 10mL of solution A into the first graduated cylinder, 10mL of B into the second, and 10mL of C into the third. 3. Put solution A into the flask. 4. Quickly put solution B into the flask, followed immediately by solution C. 5. Quickly stopper the flask and start swirling the mixture all around, making sure to reach all exposed areas of the flask. 6. After flask has turned all shiny silver, empty the contents into a sink and wash down immediately thoroughly. <span style="font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; msobidifontfamily: Calibri; msofareastfontfamily: Calibri; msolist: Ignore;">7. Rinse flask several times, and let it dry. Stopper immediately after it is dry to prevent oxidization. ===

===<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> Chemical Equations: 2 AgNO3 (aq) + 2 NaOH (aq) → Ag2O (s) + 2 NaNO3 (aq) + H2O (l) Ag2O (s) + 4 NH3 (aq) + 2 NaNO3 (aq) +H2O (l) → 2 [Ag(NH3)2]NO3 (aq) + 2 NaOH (aq) Tollen’s Reagent ===

=== Explanation: This test is used to determine the presence of aldehydes and ketones, or a reducing sugar. If the reducing sugar is present, the reaction will produce a silver coating on the glass. When the silver nitrate mixes with the ammonia, they create what is known as Tollen’s reagent. When this is mixed with sugars, it oxidizes them and the silver is reduced from its form as a +1 ion to pure Ag. The metallic Ag is stuck to the glass to form a mirror.===

=== Practical Applications: Testing for sugars isn’t all that fun (unless you’re a chemist, hehe) but there are other applications for this demo. In Victorian times, this method was used to make actual mirrors. There are also other chemicals used that will make the mirror more durable and oxidization resistant.===