Copper + Concentrated Nitric Acid
Copper + Concentrated Nitric Acid: Brown NO₂ gas produced; blue Cu²⁺ solution. Step-by-step mechanism, reagents and practice.
What happens
Brown NO₂ gas produced; blue Cu²⁺ solution.
Reaction summary
Cu + 4HNO₃(conc) → Cu(NO₃)₂ + 2NO₂ + 2H₂O
Reagents and conditions
- Starting material: Cu; HNO₃(conc)
- Conditions: Room temp, concentrated HNO₃
- Products: Cu(NO₃)₂; NO₂; H₂O