Question

How to distinguish between nitric acid and hydrochloric acid?

Answer 1

Answer:

The first difference is that nitric acid forms nitrate salts, which are always soluble in water, whereas some chloride salt such as that of lead (PbCl2) or silver (AgCl). ... In short, we should use silver nitrate for testing; hydrochloric acid would give precipitation, while nitric acid would not.

Answer 2

Answer:

Add a few drops of AgNO3 solution to dilute HCl and dil. Nitric acid.

Dil. HCl reacts with silver nitrate to give a white ppt. of silver chloride. On the other hand there is no reaction observed when dil. Nitric acid is treated with silver nitrate solution.

The reactions: 

HCl(aq) + AgNO3(aq) → AgCl(s) + HNO3(aq) 

HNO3 + AgNO3 → NO reaction - no precipitate