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Secondary reactions

     The silver displacement reaction persists as long as there is silver ion in the solution. After the silver is exhausted other reactions begin to take place. This picture shows an aluminum slug in .2M silver nitrate solution after twelve days. Note the clean appearance of the displaced silver.

     The silver was just about depleted at that point. The picture below was taken four days later. Note that the silver structures at the top of the tube have begun to oxidize. At the bottom of the tube gas bubbles are forming, presumably hydrogen.