The equation Cu + 2HNO3 -> Cu(NO3)2 + 2H2O + 2NO2

  1. Detailed information about the equation Cu + 2HNO3 -> Cu(NO3)2 + 2H2O + 2NO2
    The above chemical equation describes the reaction process between copper (Cu) and nitric acid (HNO3) to form copper (II) nitrate (Cu(NO3)2), water (H2O), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

  2. Reaction conditions
    The reaction occurs when concentrated nitric acid reacts with copper, happening at room temperature and atmospheric pressure.

  3. Reaction process
    The reaction process takes place in the following steps:

  • Copper reacts with nitric acid to form copper (II) nitrate and water.
  • At the same time, nitric acid is reduced to nitrogen dioxide.
  1. Occurring phenomena
    When the reaction takes place, we can observe several phenomena:
  • The color change of the solution from light blue (color of copper) to deep blue (color of copper (II) nitrate).
  • The escape of reddish-brown nitrogen dioxide gas.
  • The release of heat when the reaction occurs.

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