On heating blue coloured powder of copper (II) nitrate

On heating blue coloured powder of copper (II) nitrate in a boiling tube, black copper oxide, O2 and a brown gas X is formed.

  1. Identify the type of reaction and the gas X.
  2. Write balanced chemical equation of the reaction.
  3. Write the pH range of aqueous solution of the gas X.

Answer

(a) Decomposition or Thermal decomposition; The gas X is NO2 or (nitrogen dioxide)

(b) 2Cu(NO3)2 → 2Cu + 4NO2 + O2

(c) Range of pH is less than 7