To determine what gets oxidized during the process of electroplating silver (Ag) on iron (Fe), let's understand the reactions taking place during electroplating.
In electroplating, a metal is coated onto the surface of another material through an electrochemical process. For silver to be plated onto iron, silver ions from a solution are reduced at the cathode (the object to be plated), and the metal to be plated (iron in this case) typically goes through oxidation.
Oxidation is the process in which an atom, ion, or molecule loses electrons.
Here's a step-by-step explanation of what happens:
1. Oxidation at the Anode: Iron (Fe) is placed in the solution, and it acts as an anode. At the anode, iron (Fe) loses electrons and is oxidized to form iron ions:
[tex]\[
Fe(s) \rightarrow Fe^{2+}(aq) + 2e^-
\][/tex]
This indicates that iron (Fe) solid loses electrons and forms iron ions (\(Fe^{2+}\)).
2. Reduction at the Cathode: Silver ions (\( Ag^+ \)) in the solution gain electrons and get reduced to form silver metal, which gets deposited onto the object being plated (the cathode):
[tex]\[
Ag^+(aq) + e^- \rightarrow Ag(s)
\][/tex]
Here, the silver ions in the solution gain electrons to form silver metal.
From these reactions, it's clear that iron (Fe) solid loses electrons and is oxidized to iron ions (\(Fe^{2+}\)).
Therefore, the substance that gets oxidized during the electroplating of silver on iron is:
D. [tex]\(Fe (s)\)[/tex]
