When iron powder is added to aqueous silver nitrate, what redox reaction occurs?

In the reaction between iron powder and aqueous silver nitrate, the primary redox process involves the reduction of silver ions to elemental silver. This occurs because iron, being more reactive than silver, acts as a reducing agent. It donates electrons to the silver ions (Ag⁺), which are reduced to solid silver (Ag) during the reaction.

The overall reaction can be summarized as follows:

1. Iron (Fe) loses electrons and is oxidized, typically to iron(II) or iron(III).

2. Silver ions (Ag⁺) gain electrons and are reduced to solid silver (Ag).

The statement about silver ions reducing to silver metal accurately describes this key event in the reaction. As a result, this answer emphasizes the primary transformation that occurs when iron powder interacts with silver nitrate, showcasing the essence of redox chemistry, where one species is oxidized while another is reduced.