Cu+HNO3-Cu(NO3)2+NO+H2O
What about it?
The given chemical equation represents the reaction between copper (Cu) and nitric acid (HNO3) to produce copper nitrate (Cu(NO3)2), nitrogen monoxide (NO), and water (H2O). To understand how this reaction occurs and determine the products, we need to look at the individual components involved.
Copper (Cu) is a metal, and nitric acid (HNO3) is an acid. When a metal reacts with an acid, it typically undergoes a redox reaction, with the metal being oxidized and the hydrogen ions from the acid being reduced. In this case, the copper (Cu) gets oxidized while the hydrogen ions (H+) from nitric acid (HNO3) get reduced.
The balanced chemical equation for this reaction is as follows:
Cu + 4HNO3 → Cu(NO3)2 + 2NO + 2H2O
To balance the equation, we need to ensure that there is an equal number of atoms of each element on both sides of the equation. Here's how to balance it step by step:
Balancing the copper (Cu) atoms:
There is one copper (Cu) atom on the left side and one on the right side, so it is already balanced.
Balancing the nitrogen (N) atoms:
There is one nitrogen (N) atom in copper nitrate (Cu(NO3)2) on the right side. To balance it, we need four nitrogen (N) atoms on the left side, so we put a coefficient of 4 in front of HNO3:
Cu + 4HNO3 → Cu(NO3)2 + ...
Balancing the oxygen (O) atoms:
On the left side, there are four oxygen (O) atoms from nitric acid (HNO3), while on the right side, we have six oxygen (O) atoms from copper nitrate (Cu(NO3)2) and water (H2O). To balance the oxygen (O) atoms, we put a coefficient of 6 in front of H2O and 2 in front of Cu(NO3)2:
Cu + 4HNO3 → 2Cu(NO3)2 + ...
Balancing the hydrogen (H) atoms:
On the left side, we have four hydrogen (H) atoms from nitric acid (HNO3), while on the right side, we have four hydrogen (H) atoms from water (H2O). The hydrogen (H) atoms are already balanced.
The final balanced equation is:
Cu + 4HNO3 → 2Cu(NO3)2 + 2NO + 2H2O
Therefore, when copper (Cu) reacts with nitric acid (HNO3), it produces copper nitrate (Cu(NO3)2), nitrogen monoxide (NO), and water (H2O).