How do copper and magnesium metals react with nitric acid?

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Answer 1 · 2017-08-26T05:54:26

Well, magnesium and zinc are quite active metals.........

And so.....

$Mg(s) + 2HNO_3(aq) rarr Mg(NO_3)_2(aq)+H_2(g)uarr$

$Zn(s) + 2HNO_3(aq) rarr Zn(NO_3)_2(aq)+H_2(g)uarr$

That is the metals are active enuff to reduce hydrogen ion to dihydrogen.

On the other hand... copper is a little bit less active.

Copper metal is oxidized to $Cu^(2+)$ :

$CurarrCu^(2+) + 2e^(-)$

And nitrate is REDUCED to $NO_2$ if the nitric acid is concentrated...

$NO_3^(-) + 2H^(+) + e^(-) rarr NO_2(g)uarr+H_2O$

And so the overall equation.....

$Cu(s) + 4HNO_3(aq) rarr Cu(NO_3)_2(aq) + 2NO_2(g)uarr+2H_2O(l)$