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Most of the metals do not give hydrogen while reacting with nitric acid. Why ?

Nitric acid is a string oxidizing agent. So as soon as hydrogen gas is formed in the reaction between a metal and nitric acid, the nitric acid oxidizes hydrogen gas to water and itself get reduced to any of nitrogen oxides. Thus nitric acid does not release hydrogen gas upon reaction with metals.

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Hydrogen gas is not evolved when a metal reacts with dil.nitric acid. This is because nitric acid is a strong oxidizing agent . It oxidises the hydrogen produced to water and itself gets reduced to oxides of nitrogen such as NO , NO2 ,N2O . However, magnesium reacts with nitric acid to evolve hydrogen gas.

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nitric acid is a strong oxidising agent. it oxidises the H2 produced to water and itself gets reduced to any of the nitrogen oxides(N2O,NO,NO2)

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Metals do not give Hydrogen while reacting with Nitric acid because HNO3 is a strong oxidizing agent. It oxidizes the hydrogen evolved into water and it itself is reduced to an oxide of Nitrogen such as NO etc. However, it gives hydrogen when reacted with Magnesium or Manganese.

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Nitric acid reacts with most metals but the details depend on the concentration of the acid and the nature of the metal. Dilute nitric acid behaves as a typical acid in its reaction with most metals. Magnesium, manganese and zinc liberate H2. Others give the nitrogen oxides.


Nitric acid can oxidize non-active metals such as copper and silver. With these non-active or less electropositive metals the products depend on temperature and the acid concentration. For example, copper reacts with dilute nitric acid at ambient temperatures with a 3:8 stoichiometry.

3 Cu + 8 HNO3 → 3 Cu2+ + 2 NO + 4 H2O + 6 NO3-

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HNO3 (Nitric acid) is a highly oxidising agent.

So, It oxidises the H2 gas to water.

Only Mn and Mg can do this with very dilute HNO3.

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