In water, [tex][tex]$HNO _3$[/tex][/tex] produces [tex][tex]$H ^{+}$[/tex][/tex] ions. What is the name for [tex][tex]$HNO _3$[/tex][/tex] in an aqueous solution?

\begin{tabular}{|c|c|}
\hline
Name & Symbol \\
\hline
nitrate & [tex][tex]$NO _3^{-1}$[/tex][/tex] \\
\hline
nitrite & [tex][tex]$NO _2^{-1}$[/tex][/tex] \\
\hline
nitrogen & [tex][tex]$N$[/tex][/tex] \\
\hline
\end{tabular}

A. hydrogen nitrate
B. nitric acid
C. saltpetre
D. nitrous acid



Answer :

To solve this question about identifying the name of [tex]\( \text{HNO}_3 \)[/tex] in an aqueous solution, let's analyze the information provided and follow the logic step-by-step.

1. Identify the species involved:
- We know that [tex]\( \text{HNO}_3 \)[/tex] is a compound involving hydrogen (H), nitrogen (N), and oxygen (O).

2. Dissociation in Water:
- When [tex]\( \text{HNO}_3 \)[/tex] is dissolved in water, it dissociates into ions. The dissociation reaction can be written as:
[tex]\[ \text{HNO}_3 \rightarrow \text{H}^+ + \text{NO}_3^- \][/tex]
- This shows that [tex]\( \text{HNO}_3 \)[/tex] releases hydrogen ions ([tex]\( \text{H}^+ \)[/tex]) and nitrate ions ([tex]\( \text{NO}_3^- \)[/tex]).

3. Nature of the Compound:
- The release of [tex]\( \text{H}^+ \)[/tex] ions in solution indicates that [tex]\( \text{HNO}_3 \)[/tex] is an acid, as acids are characterized by their ability to produce [tex]\( \text{H}^+ \)[/tex] ions in an aqueous solution.

4. Naming the Compound:
- The systematic and common names for acids often depend on the attached anion. Here, the anion produced is [tex]\( \text{NO}_3^- \)[/tex], which is known as the nitrate ion.
- In the context of aqueous solutions, the acid formed from [tex]\( \text{NO}_3^- \)[/tex] is called "nitric acid." This is a well-known nomenclature in chemistry, where the -ate suffix of the anion (nitrate) changes to -ic acid in its acidic form.

So, taking into account these steps and the options provided in the question, the name for [tex]\( \text{HNO}_3 \)[/tex] in an aqueous solution is nitric acid.