The setting reaction of dental amalgam proceeds primarily by _____.: (A) Dissolution of the entire alloy particle into mercury., (B) Dissolution of the Cu from the particles into mercury., (C) Precipitation of Sn-Hg crystals., (D) Mercury reaction with Ag on or in the alloy particle.
Answer is D. The trituration process mixes the amalgam components and the reaction results in the alloy particle being coated by mercury and a product being formed.