🌳 Silver tree: virtual chemistry experiment
Copper wire in silver nitrate grows a sparkling tree of silver crystals.
▶ Launch this experiment freeRuns in your browser on any phone, tablet or laptop. No sign-up, no install, no chemicals needed.
What you'll do
- Add 1 g of copper turnings (wire)
- Watch silver crystals grow and the solution turn blue
The chemistry behind it
Cu + 2AgNO₃ → Cu(NO₃)₂ + 2Ag. Silver deposits as needle-like crystals; Cu²⁺ ions colour the solution blue.
Why do this experiment virtually?
Many school labs can't run this experiment safely or don't have the chemicals. In Faradium you set it up in seconds, repeat it as often as you like, change the amounts and see the real result: colours, gases, precipitates and temperature changes. The lab notebook records every observation with the balanced equation for your write-up.
Frequently asked questions
How do you do the silver tree experiment?
1. Add 1 g of copper turnings (wire) 2. Watch silver crystals grow and the solution turn blue You can run every step free in the Faradium virtual chemistry lab.
What is the chemistry behind silver tree?
Cu + 2AgNO₃ → Cu(NO₃)₂ + 2Ag. Silver deposits as needle-like crystals; Cu²⁺ ions colour the solution blue.
Can I do the silver tree experiment online for free?
Yes. Faradium sets up the bench for you and ticks off each step as you complete it. It runs in any browser on a phone, tablet or laptop with no sign-up and no chemicals.
Chemistry in this experiment
Elements involved: Nitrogen (N), Oxygen (O), Copper (Cu).
Molar masses you may need: AgNO3.
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