The Reaction:
Zinc (Zn) reacts with nitric acid (HNO₃) to produce zinc(II) nitrate (Zn(NO₃)₂) and various nitrogen oxides (NOₓ) depending on the concentration of the acid.
The Balanced Chemical Equation:
The reaction can be simplified using the following balanced chemical equation:
Zn (s) + 4 HNO₃ (aq) → Zn(NO₃)₂ (aq) + 2 NO₂ (g) + 2 H₂O (l)
Explanation:
* Zinc (Zn) is oxidized to form zinc(II) ions (Zn²⁺).
* Nitric acid (HNO₃) acts as both an oxidizer and an acid.
* Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) gas is produced as a result of the nitric acid being reduced.
* Water (H₂O) is also produced as a byproduct.
Why not hydrogen?
Nitric acid is a strong oxidizing agent. This means it readily accepts electrons, preventing the formation of hydrogen gas. Instead, the nitric acid is itself reduced, leading to the production of nitrogen oxides.
Note: The specific nitrogen oxide product (NO, NO₂, N₂O) depends on the concentration of the nitric acid and the reaction conditions.
