Question

What happens when sodium nitrate is heated? (write balanced chemical equation)

Answer 1

Thermal Decomposition reaction:

The compounds that undergo a decomposition reaction in presence of heat to give more than one product are called a thermal decomposition reaction.

Reaction of heating of sodium nitrate:
When Sodium nitrate $\left({\mathrm{NaNO}}_3\right)$ is heated, it undergoes a decomposition reaction to give Sodium nitrite $\left({\mathrm{NaNO}}_2\right)$ and Oxygen.

The balanced chemical equation for the reaction is given below.

$$\begin{gathered} 2{\mathrm{NaNO}}_3\left(\mathrm{s}\right)+\mathrm{heat}\to 2{\mathrm{NaNO}}_2\left(\mathrm{s}\right)+{\mathrm{O}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right) \\ (\mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{nitrate})(\mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{nitrite})\left(\mathrm{Oxygen}\right) \end{gathered}$$