Illustrate how copper metal can give different products on reaction with HNO3.


Copper metal on reaction with HNO3 gets oxidized and give different by-products depending on the temperature, concentration of the acid and the copper metal undergoing oxidation.

The reaction of copper with concentrated and dilute HNO3 is as shown below:


3Cu + 8HNO3(did.) 3Cu(NO3)2 + 2NO +4H2O


Cu + 4HNO3(conc.) Cu(NO3)2 + 2NO2 +2H2O


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