---
title: "A student compares the solubility of two silver salts, \\(\\text{AgCl}\\) and \\(\\text{AgF}\\), in pure water and in \\(0.10\\text{ M }\\text{HNO}_3\\text{(aq)}\\). The student observes that the solubility of \\(\\text{AgCl}\\) is essentially identical in both solutions, whereas the solubility of \\(\\text{AgF}\\) is significantly greater in \\(0.10\\text{ M }\\text{HNO}_3\\text{(aq)}\\) than in pure water. Which of the following best explains this observation?"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/119753/"
date_modified: "2026-08-21T08:12:13+00:00"
---

# A student compares the solubility of two silver salts, \(\text{AgCl}\) and \(\text{AgF}\), in pure water and in \(0.10\text{ M }\text{HNO}_3\text{(aq)}\). The student observes that the solubility of \(\text{AgCl}\) is essentially identical in both solutions, whereas the solubility of \(\text{AgF}\) is significantly greater in \(0.10\text{ M }\text{HNO}_3\text{(aq)}\) than in pure water. Which of the following best explains this observation?

A student compares the solubility of two silver salts, \(\text{AgCl}\) and \(\text{AgF}\), in pure water and in \(0.10\text{ M }\text{HNO}_3\text{(aq)}\). The student observes that the solubility of \(\text{AgCl}\) is essentially identical in both solutions, whereas the solubility of \(\text{AgF}\) is significantly greater in \(0.10\text{ M }\text{HNO}_3\text{(aq)}\) than in pure water. Which of the following best explains this observation?

- **A.** The solubility of \(\text{AgF}\) increases because \(\text{HF}\) is a strong acid that completely ionizes in solution, whereas \(\text{HCl}\) is a weak acid that does not dissociate and inhibits the dissolution of \(\text{AgCl}\).
- **B.** The solubility of \(\text{AgF}\) increases because \(\text{Ag}^+\) ions react with \(\text{NO}_3^-\) to form a soluble complex ion that lowers \([\text{Ag}^+]\), whereas \(\text{Cl}^-\) prevents \(\text{Ag}^+\) from interacting with \(\text{NO}_3^-\).
- **C.** The solubility of \(\text{AgCl}\) remains unchanged because \(\text{Cl}^-\) is the conjugate base of a strong acid and reacts completely with \(\text{H}^+\) to form \(\text{HCl}\), which shifts the dissolution equilibrium back toward \(\text{AgCl(s)}\).
- **D.** The solubility of \(\text{AgF}\) increases because \(\text{F}^-\) is the conjugate base of a weak acid and reacts with \(\text{H}^+\) to form \(\text{HF}\), whereas \(\text{Cl}^-\) is the conjugate base of a strong acid and does not react appreciably with \(\text{H}^+\).

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/119753/*