The oxidation state of nitrogen in nitric acid (HNO₃) is

JAMB Chemistry 2023 56 views

The oxidation state of nitrogen in nitric acid (HNO₃) is

  1. +1
  2. +2
  3. +3
  4. +5 ✓

Explanation

To find nitrogen’s oxidation state in HNO₃, we assign values to each atom. Hydrogen is +1, each oxygen is -2, and the total must equal zero for a neutral molecule.

Setting up the equation: +1 + N + 3(-2) = 0. This simplifies to +1 + N – 6 = 0, so N = +5.

Nitrogen has a +5 oxidation state in nitric acid, which is its highest possible oxidation state. This makes nitric acid a strong oxidizing agent in chemical reactions.

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