Question

What happens when copper nitrate undergoes heating?

Answer 1

Heating of copper nitrate

• Copper nitrate $\left(\mathrm{Cu}{\left({\mathrm{NO}}_3\right)}_2\right)$ is a blue crystalline solid.
• When heated, copper nitrate decomposes into copper oxide $\left(\mathrm{CuO}\right)$, nitrogen dioxide $\left({\mathrm{NO}}_2\right)$, and oxygen $\left({\mathrm{O}}_2\right)$ gas .

Balanced chemical reaction

• The reaction is as follows:

$\underset{\left(\mathrm{Copper}\mathrm{nitrate}\right)}{2\mathrm{Cu}{\left({\mathrm{NO}}_3\right)}_2\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}\stackrel{∆}{\to }\underset{\left(\mathrm{Copper}\mathrm{oxide}\right)}{2\mathrm{CuO}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}+\underset{\left(\mathrm{Nitrogen}\mathrm{dioxide}\right)}{4{\mathrm{NO}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}+\underset{\left(\mathrm{Oxygen}\right)}{{\mathrm{O}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}$