Silver nitrate

Properties

General
Name	Silver (I) nitrate
Chemical formula	AgNO3
Appearance	White solid
Physical
Formula weight	169.9 amu
Melting point	485 K (212 °C)
Boiling point	decomposes at 713 K (440 °C)
Density	4.4 ×103 kg/m3
Crystal structure	?
Solubility	245 g in 100g water
Thermochemistry
Safety
Ingestion	Very toxic, may cause serious injury or death.
Inhalation	Severe irritant, long-term effects also known.
Skin	Staining, higher concentrations are corrosive and dangerous.
Eyes	Extremely dangerous, causes blindness. Seek medical attention immediately.
More info	Hazardous Chemical Database (http://ull.chemistry.uakron.edu/erd/chemicals/8/7041)
SI units were used where possible. Unless otherwise stated, standard conditions were used. Disclaimer and references

Silver nitrate is a chemical compound with chemical formula AgNO₃. This nitrate of silver is a light-sensitive ingredient in photographic film. A poisonous, corrosive compound, silver nitrate crystals can be produced by dissolving silver in nitric acid and evaporating the solution.

When making photographic film, fine silver nitrate particles are bonded to strips of tri-acetate or polyester. Photons from sunlight, X-rays or other sources, initiate a purported chemical chain reaction: when photons strike silver nitrate molecules, they free electrons from the silver ions. These free electrons roam through the crystal and settle in structural imperfections called sensitivity specks[?]. These specks apparently attract positive silver ions, which are then neutralized to form groups of stable silver atoms, creating a latent image that is chemically developed to reveal a photographic image.

Silver nitrate has been used as an antiseptic, dropped into new born babies[?]' eyes at birth. This is to prevent contraction of gonorrhoea or chlamydia from their mother. A very weak solution is used for this, (about 1%) and there are very few side effects.

See also

• Film developing

External Link

• Film Making (http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/aboutKodak/kodakHistory/filmImaging.shtml)