What would the chemical equation look like for a reaction of hydrogen sulfide and silver metal?

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1. Lyrad says

   the chem eq will be :
   H2S(g) + Ag(s) -> Ag2S(s) + H2(g)

   this is the unbalanced equation. Ag in in the reactants’ side should be solid because you said it is silver metal.
   now we should balnce the eq.
   to know if it’s balance or not, look if the number of moles of of the element in the reactants’ side is equal to the number of moles of the same element in the products’ side. if the number of moles of the reactant element is not equal to the number of moles of the product element, add a numerical coefficient before the element to balance the equation.

   we can see that in the equation, Ag is the only element that its # of moles in the reactants side is not equal to the moles in the products’ side. Ag is 1 mole in one side but 2 in the other, so to balance it, put 2 as the numerical coefficient of the Ag in the Reactant’s side making the equation:

   H2S(g) + 2Ag(s) -> Ag2S(s) + H2(g)
   now, the equation is balanced.

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   June 6, 2010, 1:41 pm
2. Gervald F says

   Hydrogen sulphide does not react with silver metal releasing hydrogen gas. H2S is a reducing agent as well as a very weak acid. Silver is also a reducing agent, and it is below hydrogen in the reactivity series.

   Since the reaction you have written is impossible, the reverse reaction is very feasible.

   Sulphur can react directly with silver: 2Ag + S ——> Ag2S.

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   June 6, 2010, 2:21 pm