34. Which statement describes what occurs in the following redox reaction?
Cu(s) + 2Ag (aq) → Cu2+ (aq) + 2Ag(s)
(1) Only mass is conserved.
(2) Only charge is conserved.
3 Both mass and charge are conserved.
(4) Neither mass nor charge is conserved.

3 Both mass and charge are conserved.

Explanation:

The equation of the reaction is;

Cu(s) + 2Ag+ (aq) → Cu2+ (aq)  + 2Ag(s)

A redox reaction is an acronym for oxidation-reduction reaction. This refers to a reaction in which the oxidation number of one specie is increased while the oxidation number of the other specie is decreased.

This means that one specie looses electrons while the other specie gains electrons. Here, Cu(s) looses electrons while Ag+(aq) gains electrons from left to right in the reaction.

In a redox reaction, both mass and charge are conserved. This means that the total mass and charge on the reactants side is the same as the total mass and charge on the products side.

vanderwaal's forces of attraction are the electrostatic intermolecular forces that exist in a molecule due to the temporary or permanent dipoles that are developed in a molecule. in , the major intermolecular forces are dipole-dipole interactions as the molecule is polar (bent structure). so the vanderwaal's forces of interaction in between molecules are the permanent dipole-dipole interactions that develop due to the dipole that exists in between the polar h - s bond. the positively charged hydrogen atom is attracted towards the negative end of the dipole that is sulfur of the adjacent molecule. therefore, these forces of attraction are relatively stronger than that of london dispersion forces that exist in non polar molecules.