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Kai Rabenstein

What happens when copper reacts with concentrated nitric acid and dilute nitric acid?

Brent Palmer  Follow

It forms Copper II Nitrate Cu(NO3)2 if reacted with nitric acid in any concentration - it’s not the usual metal - acid reaction though, as it produces oxides of Nitrogen and water rather than hydrogen, due to the NO3- anions oxidising the metal.

In dilute concentrations, nitrogen monoxide is produced:

3Cu + 8HNO3 ⟶ 3Cu(NO3)2 + 2NO + 4 H2O

and in concentrated form, nitrogen dioxide is given off:

Cu + 4HNO3 ⟶ Cu(NO3)2 + 2NO2 + 2H2O

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