When copper is treated with a certain concentration of nitric acid, nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide are liberated in equal volumes according to the equation
`xCu+yHNO_(3)rarrCu(NO_(3))_(2)+NO+NO_(2)+H_(2)O`
The coefficients `x` and `y` are

Options

A. 2 and 3
B. 2 and 6
C. 1 and 3
D. 3 and 8

Answer

B

Explanation

(b) The balanced equation is `Cu rarr Cu^(2) + 2e^(-)` …(i)
`H^(+) + e^(-) + HNO_3 rarr NO_2 + H_2O` …(ii)
`3H^(+) +3e^(-) + HNO_3 rarr NO +2H_2O` …(iii)
Mulliplying Eq. (i) by 2 and adding Eqs. (i). (ii) and (iii), we get `2Cu+4H^(+) +2HNO_3 rarr 2Cu^(2) + NO_2 + NO+ 3H_2O`
`2Cu +6HNO_(3) rarr 2Cu(NO_3)_2+NO2 + NO +3H_2O`