1.

Food
75
THE ROYAL
SOCIETY OF
CHEMISTRY
Classic Chemistry Demonstrations 75
32. A giant silver mirror
Topic
The Tollens test for aldehydes and reducing sugars. Also this is an excellent
demonstration for general interest.
Timing
About 5 min.
Level
The Tollens test is post-16, but the experiment will fascinate people of all ages.
Description
A solution of ammoniacal silver nitrate is reduced by glucose to silver, which forms a
silver mirror on the inside of a large flask.
Apparatus
M One 1 dm
3
flask with rubber stopper. A round bottomed flask looks most
impressive, but any shape will do.
M One 250 cm
3
beaker.
M Measuring cylinders 25 cm
3
,100 cm
3
and 250 cm
3
.
M Dropping pipette.
M Glass rod.
M Access to a fume cupboard (optional).
Chemicals
The quantities given are sufficient for three demonstrations.
M 8.5 g of silver nitrate (AgNO
3
).
M 11.2 g of potassium hydroxide (KOH).
M 2.2 g of glucose (dextrose).
M 800 cm
3
of deionised water.
M About 30 cm
3
of 880 ammonia solution.
M About 100 cm
3
of concentrated nitric acid.
Method
Before the demonstration
Carefully clean the 1 dm
3
flask. First use detergent and a brush, then rinse with water,
followed by concentrated nitric acid and finally wash it out several times with
deionised water. Thorough cleaning is vital if the demonstration is to succeed.
Make up the three solutions as follows:
M Dissolve 8.5 g of silver nitrate in 500 cm
3
of deionised water. This makes a
0.1 mol dm
3
solution.
THE ROYAL
SOCIETY OF
CHEMISTRY
76 Classic Chemistry Demonstrations
M Dissolve 11.2 g of potassium hydroxide in 250 cm
3
of deionised water. This
makes a 0.8 mol dm
3
solution.
M Dissolve 2.2 g of glucose in 50 cm
3
of deionised water.
The demonstration
Place 150 cm
3
of the silver nitrate solution in a 250 cm
3
beaker and, working in a
fume cupboard if possible, add 880 ammonia using a dropping pipette. A brown
precipitate will form. Continue to add the ammonia until the precipitate re-dissolves
to give a clear, colourless solution. Less than 5 cm
3
of ammonia will be needed. The
solution then contains Ag(NH
3
)
2
+
(aq).
Add 75 cm
3
of the potassium hydroxide solution. A dark brown precipitate will
form. Add more ammonia dropwise until this precipitate redissolves to give a clear,
colourless solution. About 5 cm
3
of ammonia will be needed.
Pour this solution into the 1 dm
3
flask and add 12 cm
3
of the glucose solution.
Stopper the flask and swirl the solution so that the whole of the inner surface of the
flask is wetted. The solution will turn brown. Continue swirling until a mirror forms.
This will take about 2 minutes.
When a satisfactory mirror has formed, pour the solution down the sink with
plenty of water. Rinse out the flask well with water and discard the washings down
the sink. The flask can now be passed around the class.
DO NOT SAVE THE SILVER SOLUTION IN A SILVER RESIDUE CONTAINER.
An alternative to plating the inside of a flask is to silver plate the outside of small
glass objects which can be suspended in the plating solution by hanging them on
threads. These objects must be cleaned beforehand.
Visual tips
The demonstration can be scaled up for greater impact or scaled down for economy.
Teaching tips
This reaction is the well known Tollens or silver mirror test for aldehydes. The
method used to be used commercially for silvering mirrors.
Theory
Aldehydes such as glucose are reducing agents and will reduce Ag
+
(aq) ions to
metallic silver. They themselves are oxidised to carboxlyate ions. The reaction that
occurs is:
CH
2
OH(CHOH)
4
CHO(aq) + 2Ag(NH
3
)
2
+
(aq) + 3OH

(aq)
2Ag(s) + CH
2
OH(CHOH)
4
CO
2

(aq) + 4NH
3
(aq) + 2H
2
O(l)
Extensions
Try using an ordinary aldehyde instead of glucose, and show that the reaction does
not work with a ketone such as propanone.
Further details
The silver can be removed from the silvered flask with concentrated nitric acid. Work
in a fume cupboard because nitrogen dioxide is formed.
There are reports of silvered flasks being kept for several years as ornaments.
1. Food
77
THE ROYAL
SOCIETY OF
CHEMISTRY
Classic Chemistry Demonstrations 77
Safety
Wear eye protection.
There have been a few reports of alkaline ammoniacal silver nitrate solutions
exploding after standing for some time. This rare occurrence is thought to be caused
by the formation of silver nitride or silver fulminate. To avoid this risk, the
ammoniacal silver nitrate solution should not be made up before the demonstration
and any silvering solution left after the demonstration should not be placed in a silver
residues container but should be washed down the sink with plenty of water. The
silvered flask should be rinsed thoroughly with water and the washings washed down
the sink as soon as the silvering has finished.
It is the responsibility of teachers doing this demonstration to carry out an
appropriate risk assessment.