Question

Nitrous acid acts as both oxidising and reducing agent but nitric acid acts only as oxidising agent. Why?

Answer 1

Nitric acid acts only as anoxidising agent while nitrous acid acts both as an oxidisingas well as reducing agent. ... Minimum oxidation number of N is — 3 because it can accept 3 more electrons to get noble gas configuration. Sinceoxidation number of N in ${{HNO}{3}}$ is maximum, therefore, it can only decrease.
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Answer 2

Nitric acid acts only as an oxidising agent. Nitric acid acts only as an oxidising agent while nitrous acid acts both as an oxidising as well as reducing agent. ... Minimum oxidation number of N is — 3 because it can accept 3 more electrons to get noble gas configuration.