Nitric Acid and Beryllium Hydroxide are chemical compounds with chemical formulas, HNO3 and Be(OH)2 respectively. Let us find out more about the reaction between HNO3 and Be(OH)2.
HNO3 or hydrogen nitrate is a very strong, colorless acid, widely used in the laboratory as well as the industry. Be(OH)2, on the other hand, is a white, amorphous solid often known to behave as a lewis base.
In this article, we will find out more about the type of reaction between HNO3 and Be(OH)2, the products formed and how we can balance the equation, etc.
What is the product of HNO3 and Be(OH)2?
Beryllium nitrate or Be(NO3)2 and water (H2O) are produced when HNO3 reacts with Be(OH)2.
HNO3 + Be(OH)2 ———> Be(NO3)2+ H2O
What type of reaction is HNO3 + Be(OH)2?
HNO3 + Be(OH)2 is an acid-base reaction, where an acid neutralizes a strong base to produce the corresponding salt and water.
How to balance HNO3 + Be(OH)2?
The equation for the reaction HNO3 + Be(OH)2 is balanced using the following steps.
2HNO3 + Be(OH)2= Be(NO3)2+ 2H2O
- Calculate the number of moles of each element involved in the reactant and product side of the reaction.
| Elements | Reactants | Products |
|---|---|---|
| H | 3 | 2 |
| N | 1 | 2 |
| O | 5 | 7 |
| Be | 1 | 1 |
- The number of hydrogen ions is balanced by adding 2 to HNO3 on the reactant side and H2O on the product side.
- Thus, the overall balanced reaction is given by –
- 2HNO3 + Be(OH)2 = Be(NO3)2+ 2H2O
HNO3 + Be(OH)2 titration
HNO3 + Be(OH)2 titration is not possible because HNO3 being a very strong acid will neutralize Be(OH)2 as soon as it is formed and identification of any end point will not be possible with use of indicators.
HNO3 + Be(OH)2 net ionic equation
The net ionic equation between Be(OH)2 + HNO3 is –
Be2+ (aq) + OH– (aq) + H+ (aq) + NO3– = Be(OH)2 (s) + H2O (l)
The following steps are followed to derive the net ionic equation:
- Write the balanced molecular equation along with the physical state.
- 2HNO3 + Be(OH)2= Be(NO3)2+ 2H2O
- Henceforth, write the ionic form of each of the reactants in aqueous form which dissociates completely in water. HNO3 is a strong acid that completely dissociates into ions in aqueous form. Hence, the complete ionic equation is –
- Be2+ (aq) + OH– (aq) + H+ (aq) + NO3– = Be(OH)2 (s) + H2O (l)
- We find that the complete ionic equation is identical to the net ionic equation.
- Be2+ (aq) + OH– (aq) + H+ (aq) + NO3– = Be(OH)2 (s) + H2O (l)
HNO3 + Be(OH)2 conjugate pairs
The conjugate pairs of HNO3 + Be(OH)2 are –
- NO3– is the conjugate base of HNO3.
- Be2+ is the conjugate acid of Be(OH)2.
HNO3 + Be(OH)2 intermolecular forces
The intermolecular forces of HNO3 + Be(OH)2 are –
- Dipole-dipole attraction or Flydrogen bonding as well as dispersion forces are observed for HNO3 due to the large difference in electronegativity of H atom and N atom.
- Hydrogen bonding is the main intermolecular force of attraction in Be(OH)2, alongside ionic interactions. However, London dispersion forces and dipole-dipole interaction are also observed.
HNO3 + Be(OH)2 reaction enthalpy
The enthalpy of formation for HNO3 + Be(OH)2 reaction is -171.10 kcal/mol.
Is HNO3 + Be(OH)2 a complete reaction?
HNO3 + Be(OH)2 is not a complete reaction, as Be(OH)2, a weak hydroxide, remains undissociated in the solution, after the completion of the reaction. This is due to its low dissociation constant (KD).
Is HNO3 + Be(OH)2 an exothermic reaction?
HNO3 + Be(OH)2 is an exothermic reaction. This is because the enthalpy of formation of Be(OH)2 is negative.
Is HNO3 + Be(OH)2 a buffer solution?
The solution between HNO3 and Be(OH)2 is not a buffer solution as HNO3, being a strong acid, dissociates completely in the reaction medium. A buffer solution is the mixture of a strong acid or base and its corresponding salt. So is not the case for this reaction mixture.
Is HNO3 + Be(OH)2 a redox reaction?
HNO3 + Be(OH)2 is not a redox reaction, as the oxidation states of all the elements remain constant before and after reaction completion.
Is HNO3 + Be(OH)2 a precipitation reaction?
The reaction HNO3 + Be(OH)2 is a precipitation reaction, as beryllium hydroxide precipitates out as a milky white, amorphous solid.
Is HNO3 + Be(OH)2 an irreversible reaction?
HNO3 + Be(OH)2 is an irreversible reaction. This is because beryllium hydroxide and water cannot spontaneously react back to form the reactants.
Is HNO3 + Be(OH)2 displacement reaction?
HNO3 + Be(OH)2 is a displacement reaction, because the cations and anions of the reactants interchange upon reaction.
Conclusion
Nitric Acid and Beryllium Hydroxide react to yield Beryllium Hydroxide as a product. This reaction is one of the most basic examples studied for an acid-base reaction. Also, Be(NO3)2 is widely used in the defense and aerospace industries.
Hi, I am Aparajita Bose. I am a Chemistry postgraduate currently working with Micro Labs Advanced Research Centre as a Research Associate. I am passionate about my subject and am excited to educate my readers with precise knowledge. I also want to make the subject fun and easily accessible!
You can connect with me via LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/aparajita-bose-she-her-151b551a6