Chloride ions treated with acidified silver nitrate yield what precipitate?

• A. White precipitate
• B. Cream precipitate
• C. Yellow precipitate
• D. No precipitate

Answer: (A)

When chloride ions meet silver ions in an acidic medium, they form silver chloride, which is insoluble and comes out as a solid. The reaction is Ag+ + Cl- → AgCl(s). Silver chloride is a white precipitate, so you see a white solid forming. The acid keeps the solution from making other silver compounds (like silver oxide or carbonate), so the test specifically shows the chloride. If bromide or iodide were present, you’d get different colored precipitates (cream for bromide, yellow for iodide).