Reaction of ethanal with ammoniacal silver nitrate

Step 1

Add a drop of dilute sodium hydroxide to a solution of silver nitrate

What is formed when sodium hydroxide is added to silver nitrate?

Brown precipitate of silver oxide

Step 2

Add dilute ammonia until the brown precipitate dissolves

What reagent is formed when dilute ammonia is added until brown precipitate is formed?

Tollens' reagent

Step 3

Wash test tube with water then with propanone

Step 4

Pour Tollens' reagent into the rinsed test tube

Step 5

Add ethanal to the test tube and stand it in a beaker of boiling water

Step 6

Note any observations

What is observed when this experiment is carried out?

Silver mirror forms on inside surface of the test tube

Draw a diagram of this experiment

What is observed when this experiment is carried out with propanone?

No silver mirror forms

Why is no silver mirror formed when this experiment is carried out with propanone?

Ketones are hard to oxidise