I had stained my hand with silver nitrate 3 days ago. On the first day, I deliberately expose my hand to the sun light, and i noticed brown dots form in quite a fast rate. Then at that night, i notice that my hand had both brown and black color stain. What are they, why re they in different form of color? This is affect by concentration? And now(3 days later) the blackcolor stain all gone, left only the brown one, what does this mean, black stain is more superficial while brown stain located at deeper layer of my skin?

Question

anonymous · Answer

the brown stain is probably due to nitric acid formed from decompostion of silver nitrate. Nitric acid forms a brown stain on the skin which can last for days.
The black dots are probably elemental silver.

chmvijay · Answer

i don't think so how nitric acid forms there

chmvijay · Answer

it is reduction of silver metal ion to metallic silver and there may be silver oxide also formed!!

anonymous · Answer

Ag NO3  changed to  AgO and NO ?

callisto · Answer

AgNO3 (aq) + H2O (l) --> AgO (s) + HNO3 (aq)
I think H2O is from your skin.

anonymous · Answer

I see, that explain why they keep saying AgNO3 is corrosive.

chmvijay · Answer

yaaa thats why the lab reagent silver nitrate is always dilute of 0.05N is used!!!

anonymous · Answer

And the uv ray just speed up the process?