Illustrate how copper metal can give different products on reaction

Question:

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

Solution:

Concentrated nitric acid is a strong oxidizing agent. It is used for oxidizing most metals. The products of oxidation depend on the concentration of the acid, temperature, and also on the material undergoing oxidation.

$3 \mathrm{Cu}+8 \mathrm{HNO}_{3 \text { (dilute) }} \longrightarrow 3 \mathrm{Cu}\left(\mathrm{NO}_{3}\right)_{2}+2 \mathrm{NO}+4 \mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}$

$\mathrm{Cu}+4 \mathrm{HNO}_{3 \text { (conc) }} \longrightarrow \mathrm{Cu}\left(\mathrm{NO}_{3}\right)_{2}+2 \mathrm{NO}_{2}+2 \mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}$

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