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Chapter 4: Problem 47

Nitric acid is a strong oxidizing agent. State which of the following species is least likely to be produced when nitric acid reacts with a strong reducing agent such as zinc metal, and explain why: \(\mathrm{N}_{2} \mathrm{O},\) \(\mathrm{NO}, \mathrm{NO}_{2}, \mathrm{~N}_{2} \mathrm{O}_{4}, \mathrm{~N}_{2} \mathrm{O}_{5}, \mathrm{NH}_{4}^{+}\)

Short Answer

Expert verified
The compound \(\mathrm{NH}_{4}^{+}\) is least likely to be produced when nitric acid reacts with a strong reducing agent such as zinc metal.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Oxidation States

Firstly, clarify what the oxidation state of nitrogen in each of the listed compounds is: in \(\mathrm{N}_{2} \mathrm{O}\) it is +1, in \(\mathrm{NO}, \mathrm{NO}_{2}, \mathrm{~N}_{2} \mathrm{~O}_{4}\) it is +2, +4, and +4 respectively, in \(\mathrm{N}_{2} \mathrm{O}_{5}\) it is +5, and in \(\mathrm{NH}_{4}^{+}\), it is -3.
02

Understanding reactions with reducing agents

Next, recognize that a reducing agent will donate electrons and thus reduce the oxidation state of nitrogen. Since the nitrogen in \(\mathrm{NH}_{4}^{+}\) already has a low oxidation state (-3), it is least likely to be the product.
03

Final Conclusion

Finally, conclude that \(\mathrm{NH}_{4}^{+}\) is least likely to be produced when nitric acid reacts with a strong reducing agent such as zinc metal because its nitrogen atom is already in a reduced state, and a reducing agent would decrease the oxidation state of nitrogen rather than increase it.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Which of the following metals can react with water? (a) \(\mathrm{Au},(\mathrm{b}) \mathrm{Li},(\mathrm{c}) \mathrm{Hg},(\mathrm{d}) \mathrm{Ca},(\mathrm{e}) \mathrm{Pt}\)

Calculate the molarity of each of the following solutions: (a) \(29.0 \mathrm{~g}\) of ethanol \(\left(\mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{5} \mathrm{OH}\right)\) in \(545 \mathrm{~mL}\) of solution, (b) \(15.4 \mathrm{~g}\) of sucrose \(\left(\mathrm{C}_{12} \mathrm{H}_{22} \mathrm{O}_{11}\right)\) in \(74.0 \mathrm{~mL}\) of solution, (c) \(9.00 \mathrm{~g}\) of sodium chloride \((\mathrm{NaCl})\) in \(86.4 \mathrm{~mL}\) of solution.

A 325-mL sample of solution contains \(25.3 \mathrm{~g}\) of \(\mathrm{CaCl}_{2}\). (a) Calculate the molar concentration of \(\mathrm{Cl}^{-}\) in this solution. (b) How many grams of \(\mathrm{Cl}^{-}\) are in \(0.100 \mathrm{~L}\) of this solution?

A sample of \(0.6760 \mathrm{~g}\) of an unknown compound containing barium ions \(\left(\mathrm{Ba}^{2+}\right)\) is dissolved in water and treated with an excess of \(\mathrm{Na}_{2} \mathrm{SO}_{4}\). If the mass of the \(\mathrm{BaSO}_{4}\) precipitate formed is \(0.4105 \mathrm{~g}\), what is the percent by mass of Ba in the original unknown compound?

Write ionic and net ionic equations for the following reactions: (a) \(\mathrm{AgNO}_{3}(a q)+\mathrm{Na}_{2} \mathrm{SO}_{4}(a q) \longrightarrow\) (b) \(\mathrm{BaCl}_{2}(a q)+\mathrm{ZnSO}_{4}(a q) \longrightarrow\) (c) \(\left(\mathrm{NH}_{4}\right)_{2} \mathrm{CO}_{3}(a q)+\mathrm{CaCl}_{2}(a q) \longrightarrow\)
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