How do you write a chemical formula for the following scenario: Nitric acid is a component of acid rain that forms when gaseous nitrogen dioxide pollutant reacts with gaseous oxygen and liquid water to form aqueous nitric acid?

Question

Mateo Aguilar · Accepted Answer

#"4NO"_2("g")+"O"_2("g")+"2H"_2"O("l")##rarr##"4HNO"_3("aq")#

Because two or more reactants result in a single product, this reaction is a synthesis reaction, also known as a combination reaction. Basically, you have been given a word equation, but it does not include the chemical formulas for each substance. To write a chemical equation, you must first ascertain the chemical formulas for each substance, then write the equation and balance it.

Reactants Gaseous nitrogen dioxide: #"NO"_2("g")# Gaseous oxygen: #"O"_2("g")# Liquid water: #"H"_2"O"(l)"#

Product Aqueous nitric acid: #"HNO"_3("aq")#

Equilibrium Formula

#"4NO"_2("g")+"O"_2("g")+"2H"_2"O("l")##rarr##"4HNO"_3("aq")#

Owen Ambrose · Answer

undefined Since nitric acid has the chemical formula HNO3, the chemical equation in the scenario would be 2NO2(g) + O2(g) + 2H2O(l) → 2HNO3(aq).