copper silver nitrate rxn

[rtgvaneck]

I'm trying to figure out if there's a chance that there are two species of copper forming in this rxn. i.e. does the copper displace the silver in a 1:1 ratio or a 1:2 ratio?

either it's Cu + AgNO3 -> Ag + CuNO3, or it's Cu + 2AgNO3 -> 2Ag + Cu(NO3)2.

Is it possible to get a mix of species? My students' results range from perfect 1:1 to perfect 1:2 and everything in between (and one even above, but that's obviously some sort of error).

Are there side rxns I'm not thinking of?

There was a long series of posts from 2006 with a similar question for a iron and copper(II)chloride experiment. Any of you still out there?

thanks,

 

rtg