Consider the reactions, I. H3PO2(aq)+4AgNO3(aq)+2H2O(l)⟶H3PO4(aq)+4Ag(s)+4HNO3(aq) II. H3PO2(aq)+2CuSO4(aq)+2H2O(l)⟶H3PO4(aq)+2Cu(s)+2H2SO4(aq) III. C6H5CHO(l)+2AgNH32+(aq)+3OH-(aq) ⟶C6H5COO-(aq)+2Ag(s) +4NH3(aq)+2H2O(l) IV. C6H5CHO(l)+2Cu2+(aq)+5OH-(aq)⟶ No change observed What inference do you draw about the behaviour of Ag+and Cu2+from these reactions?

In (a) and (b) reactions, AgNO3 and CuSO4 act as ' oxidizing agents respectively. They oxidize H3PO2 (hypo phosphorous acid) to H3PO4 (orthophosphoric acid). In reaction (c) AgNH32+ oxidizes benzaldehyde to benzoic acid but in reaction (d), Cu2+ do not oxidize benzaldehyde (C6H5CHO) to benzoic acid. This indicates that Ag+ is a stronger oxidizing agent than Cu2+.