Question

The products obtained when very dilute nitric acid (${\text{HNO}}_3$) reacts with magnesium are and hydrogen gas.

• A. magnesium oxide
• B. magnesium nitride
• C. magnesium nitrate
• D. magnesium hydroxide

Answer 1

The correct option is C magnesium nitrate

Nitric acid (${\text{HNO}}_3$), even in its dilute form is not used for the production of hydrogen gas from metals (except magnesium and manganese) as it is a strong oxidising agent and forms water instead of hydrogen gas.
Magnesium reacts with very dilute nitric acid to generate magnesium nitrate and hydrogen gas.
$\text{Mg(s)}+2{\text{HNO}}_3\text{(aq)}\to {\text{Mg(NO}}_3{)}_2\text{(aq)}+{\text{H}}_2\text{(g)}$