Question

A yellow precipitate is formed upon addition of aqueous AgNO$_3$ to a solution of

• A. phosphite
• B. pyrophosphate
• C. metaphosphate
• D. orthophosphate

Hint:

Ag$_3$PO$_4$ is one of the few yellow silver salts—useful for identification.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Identifying the precipitate.
AgNO$_3$ reacts with orthophosphate (PO$_4^{3-}$) to form silver phosphate (Ag$_3$PO$_4$), which is known for its characteristic yellow precipitate.
Step 2: Checking other options.
Phosphite, pyrophosphate, and metaphosphate do not form a yellow Ag salt under normal conditions; they produce either white or no precipitate.
Step 3: Conclusion.
The only species giving a yellow precipitate with AgNO$_3$ is orthophosphate (Ag$_3$PO$_4$).