Question

Nature of two oxides of nitrogen X and Y formed in the reaction of sodium nitrite with hydrochloric acid is

• A. Both X and Y are acidic in nature
• B. X is acidic and Y is neutral in nature
• C. Both X and Y are neutral in nature
• D. X is amphoteric and Y is neutral in nature

Hint:

When a question asks about the nature of oxides of nitrogen, it's essential to recall the common oxides and their properties: Neutral oxides:} N\(_2\)O (Nitrous oxide), NO (Nitric oxide). Acidic oxides:} NO\(_2\) (Nitrogen dioxide), N\(_2\)O\(_3\) (Dinitrogen trioxide), N\(_2\)O\(_4\) (Dinitrogen tetroxide), N\(_2\)O\(_5\) (Dinitrogen pentoxide). The reaction of nitrites with acids often leads to the formation of unstable nitrous acid, which disproportionates to yield NO and HNO\(_3\), with NO further reacting with oxygen to form NO\(_2\).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Identify the reaction of sodium nitrite with hydrochloric acid.
Sodium nitrite (NaNO\(_2\)) reacts with hydrochloric acid (HCl) to produce nitrous acid (HNO\(_2\)), which is unstable and decomposes to form oxides of nitrogen, nitric acid, and water. The reaction is:
$2\operatorname{NaNO}_2 + 2\operatorname{HCl} \longrightarrow 2\operatorname{HNO}_2 + 2\operatorname{NaCl}$
The unstable nitrous acid then decomposes:
$3\operatorname{HNO}_2 \longrightarrow \operatorname{HNO}_3 + 2\operatorname{NO} + \operatorname{H}_2\operatorname{O}$
In the presence of oxygen (from air), NO can react further:
$2\operatorname{NO} + \operatorname{O}_2 \longrightarrow 2\operatorname{NO}_2$ So, the two main oxides of nitrogen formed are Nitric Oxide (NO) and Nitrogen Dioxide (NO\(_2\)). The question refers to two oxides, let's designate X and Y as NO and NO\(_2\) (or vice versa). 
Step 2: Determine the nature of the oxides of nitrogen formed.
Nitric Oxide (NO):
NO is a neutral oxide. It does not react with acids or bases. It is one of the few stable neutral oxides of nitrogen. Nitrogen Dioxide (NO\(_2\)):
NO\(_2\) is an acidic oxide. It reacts with water to form a mixture of nitric acid (HNO\(_3\)) and nitrous acid (HNO\(_2\)), demonstrating its acidic nature:
$2\operatorname{NO}_2 + \operatorname{H}_2\operatorname{O} \longrightarrow \operatorname{HNO}_3 + \operatorname{HNO}_2$ It also reacts with bases. 
Step 3: Match the nature of the oxides with the given options.
Based on the analysis:
One oxide (NO) is neutral.
The other oxide (NO\(_2\)) is acidic. Therefore, the statement "X is acidic and Y is neutral in nature" correctly describes the nature of the two oxides of nitrogen formed. The final answer is $\boxed{X is acidic and Y is neutral in nature}}$.