Question:

The nitrate of which metal does not give nitrogen dioxide on strong heating?

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Remember: \[ \text{NaNO}_3,\ \text{KNO}_3 \rightarrow \text{Nitrite} + O_2 \] while \[ \text{LiNO}_3 \] and most other metal nitrates decompose to give \[ \text{Metal oxide} + NO_2 + O_2 \] on heating.
Updated On: Jul 18, 2026
  • Li
  • Na
  • Mg
  • Ca
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Recall the thermal decomposition of metal nitrates.
The products obtained on heating metal nitrates depend upon the position of the metal in the activity series.
Group 1 metal nitrates (except lithium) decompose to give nitrites and oxygen. \[ 2MNO_3 \rightarrow 2MNO_2+O_2 \] No \(NO_2\) gas is produced in this case.

Step 2: Examine sodium nitrate.
For sodium nitrate, \[ 2NaNO_3 \rightarrow 2NaNO_2+O_2 \] Thus, \[ NO_2 \] is not evolved during decomposition.

Step 3: Examine lithium nitrate.
Lithium nitrate behaves differently from other alkali metal nitrates. \[ 4LiNO_3 \rightarrow 2Li_2O+4NO_2+O_2 \] Hence, \(NO_2\) is produced.

Step 4: Examine magnesium and calcium nitrates.
Alkaline earth metal nitrates decompose as: \[ 2Mg(NO_3)_2 \rightarrow 2MgO+4NO_2+O_2 \] \[ 2Ca(NO_3)_2 \rightarrow 2CaO+4NO_2+O_2 \] Both reactions produce nitrogen dioxide.

Step 5: Final conclusion.
Among the given nitrates, only sodium nitrate does not produce nitrogen dioxide on strong heating. \[ \boxed{\text{Na}} \] Therefore, option (2) is correct.
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