I did an experiment today called "removing tarnish". we removed tarnish from a fork wrapped in foil paper.

Question

Now i have to answer some questions. please correct me if i answer them wrong. im not the best in chemistry. thanks.

1. describe the odor of the water trapped inside the aluminum foil. what type of chemical compund is assosited with this odor. it smelled like rotten egg and the compound i think is sulfur.

2. based on the appearance of the aluminum foil, what compound do you believe aluminum formed? aluminum sulfite

3. is it important the aluminum foil touches the flatware in order for tarnish to be removed? explain. i have no clue

4. is it important that the flatware be submerged in order for tarnish to be removed? explain. no

4. explain the benefits of the chemical technique of removing tarnish over silver polish. so the flatware last longer.

Answer 1

3. If sulfide ions are in the water going to the foil, there has to be a return path for negative charge to come back to the silver atoms.
4. Has to be in the liquid for sulfide ions to have a path.
5. NO scratches..No rubbing away of the silver.

Answer 2

1. Usually sulfur smells like rotten eggs, but not the element sulfur, because sulfur is usually associated with hydrogen sulfide, which smells like rotten eggs too.

2. Probably aluminum sulfide if I had no other guess....also because no picture.

3. Perhaps to scrape off the tarnish?

4. No, you don't have to submerge the flatware to remove the tarnish

5. I agree, because the flatware can last longer.

Answer 3

thanks, gentlemen