According to Table \(17.3\), the oxide coating that forms on silver should be nonprotective, and yet Ag does not oxidize appreciably at room temperature and in air. How do you explain this apparent discrepancy?

A nonprotective oxide coating is an oxide layer that forms on a metal surface but does not effectively protect the underlying metal from further oxidation or corrosion. This generally leads to more exposure of the metal, making it more susceptible to deterioration over time.

There could be several reasons why silver does not noticeably oxidize even though it has a nonprotective oxide coating. Some of these reasons are: 1. The natural oxide layer formed on silver might be very thin, making it difficult to observe the reactions taking place on the silver surface. 2. The rate of reaction might be slow for silver per se, which can attribute to the fact that silver does not appear to corrode very easily despite having a nonprotective oxide coating. The temperature plays an important role in determining the rate of the reaction. In the case of silver, room temperature might not be high enough to trigger a significant rate of reaction. 3. The ambient environment, such as the humidity and presence of other chemicals/substances, could play a crucial role in determining the overall effect of the nonprotective coating. If the environment is relatively inert, the nonprotective coating would have relatively little effect on the metal.

In conclusion, the apparent discrepancy between the nonprotective oxide coating on silver and its lack of noticeable oxidation at room temperature in the air can be explained by several factors. These include the thinness of the oxide layer, the slow rate of reaction at room temperature, and the influence of the ambient environment. Understanding these factors can help explain why silver does not oxidize appreciably despite having a nonprotective oxide coating.