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Most metal nitrates undergo thermal decomposition
when heated.
Potassium nitrate and sodium nitrate decompose
on strong heating to potassium nitrite and sodium
nitrite respectively. In both cases, the oxygen
evolved is evidence for the presence of the nitrate
anion.
2KNO3 (s) -----> 2KNO2 (s) + O2 (g)
The nitrates of metals from calcium to copper
in the reactivity series of metals decompose on
strong heating to their respective metal oxides,
oxygen and nitrogen dioxide gas. The pungent brown
gas evolved confirms the presence of a nitrate.
2Zn(NO3)2 (s) -----> 2ZnO (s) + 4NO2 (g) + O2 (g)
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