Question

Name the metal which reacts with very dilute nitric acid to envolve hydrogen gas

Answer 1

Generally when metals react with nitric acid then they stimulate the release of H2O and not H2,since nitric acid is a strong oxidising agent.But magnesium is an exception. Magnesium react with dilute nitric acid producing Mg(NO3)2 and releases H2 as


Mg(s) + 2HNO3(aq) = Mg(NO3)2(aq) + H2(g)