Nitrates are prepared by
the action of nitric acid on a metal or its oxide, hydroxide or carbonate. All
nitrates are soluble in water. On heating, the nitrates
of the alkali metals yield only oxygen and the nitrite (Except Lithium).
Most of the nitrate salts of other metals on heating decompose to produce metal oxide ,nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and oxygen gas. (Except M= Na, K, Rb, Cs but lithium(Li) do as above)
If the metal oxides is unstable to heat, in
which case the metal and oxygen are formed for example from nitrates of mercury
(Hg), silver (Ag), Gold (Au), and Platinum (Pt) because Gibb”s free energy of
formation of these oxides are positive. (for more details see “Ellingham
diagram”).
Exception case: Ammonium nitrate gives dinitrogen oxide and steam:
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