Question

Name two nitrates which on heating produce only oxygen gas.

Answer 1

Nitrates: These are the substance having nitrates(${\mathrm{NO}}_3^{-}$) as one of the ions.

1st Nitrate: Potassium nitrate(KNO₃) on heating results in the production of Potassium nitrite(KNO₂) in solid-state and Oxygen(O₂) as gas only.

$\underset{\mathrm{Potassium}\mathrm{Nitrate}}{2{\mathrm{KNO}}_3\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}\stackrel{\mathrm{heat}}{\to }\underset{\mathrm{Potassium}\mathrm{Nitrite}}{2{\mathrm{KNO}}_2\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Oxygen}}{{\mathrm{O}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}$

It is a type of thermal decomposition reaction.

Thermal decomposition reaction: Decomposition of one substance into two or more substances upon heating.

2nd Nitrate: Sodium nitrate(NaNO₃) on heating results in the production of sodium nitrite(NaNO₂) and oxygen gas(O₂)

$\underset{\mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{Nitrate}}{{\mathrm{NaNO}}_3\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}\underset{\mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{Nitrite}}{\stackrel{\mathrm{heat}}{\to }{\mathrm{NaNO}}_2\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Oxygen}}{{\mathrm{O}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}$

It is also a type of thermal decomposition reaction.

Therefore, Potassium nitrate and Sodium nitrate are two nitrates that on heating produce only oxygen gas.