How can you distinguish between dilute HCl and dilute HNO3?
By adding a few drops of silver nitrate
This is a great opportunity to use the silver nitrate test. By adding, a few drops of AgNO3 to dilute HCl, we get a white precipitate of silver chloride.
HCl+AgNO3→AgCl↓+HNO3
On the other hand, there is no reaction when a dilute solution of nitric acid is treated with silver nitrate solution.
Phenolphthalein would remain colourless in both the solutions and litmus solution would turn red in both the solutions as both are strong acids
if both are treated with sodium hydroxide, they would undergo acid-base neutralisation. Hence this cannot be sued to distinguish the two acids.