Definition

Noun: 1. A chemical compound: Silver chloride is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula AgCl. It is a white crystalline solid known for its low solubility in water and its sensitivity to light. 2. A photographic material: Historically, its primary use was in the manufacture of photographic films and papers, as it darkens upon exposure to light, forming the basis for traditional black-and-white photography.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Silver chloride precipitates as a white solid when a solution of silver nitrate is mixed with sodium chloride.
  • The early development of photography relied heavily on the light-sensitive properties of silver chloride.
  • In the laboratory, silver chloride is often used in analytical chemistry.

Advanced Usage

• "Silver chloride electrode": A type of reference electrode commonly used in electrochemistry, made by coating a wire with silver chloride.
  • The stability of the silver chloride electrode makes it ideal for pH measurements.

Variants and Related Words

• Argentous chloride: A less common synonym for silver chloride.
• Silver halide: A broader category of light-sensitive compounds that includes silver chloride, silver bromide, and silver iodide.

Synonyms

• AgCl: The chemical formula, often used as a shorthand in scientific contexts.
• Horn silver: A rare mineral form of silver chloride (cerargyrite).

Related Phrases

• To precipitate silver chloride: A common phrase in chemistry describing its formation in a reaction.
  • Adding hydrochloric acid will precipitate silver chloride from the solution.

Noun

1. a chloride used chiefly in the manufacture of photographic emulsions