Chemistry Forum

I have a piece of copper and it is suppose to contain silver.
Is there a simple way to find out if silver is present?
With a simple way I mean that I do not have laboratory equipment.
thanks!

peter wrote:I have a piece of copper and it is suppose to contain silver.
Is there a simple way to find out if silver is present?
With a simple way I mean that I do not have laboratory equipment.
thanks!

First, disolve your copper in nitric acid.
Then dilute solution and add solution of sodium chloride(table salt).
If the mixture will become blurry silver is present.

peter wrote:I have a piece of copper and it is suppose to contain silver.
Is there a simple way to find out if silver is present?
With a simple way I mean that I do not have laboratory equipment.
thanks!

Digest the copper sample with Nitric acid as Sam's reply.
Then add some hydrochloric acid (instead of sodium chloride) to the digested solution, any precipitate formed would indicate the present of silver.

Thanks a lot!
I've tried both ways, seems like my copper don't contain silver.