The labels have fallen off three bottles containing powdered samples of metals; one contains zinc, one lead, and the other platinum. you have three solutions at your disposal: 1 m sodium nitrate, 1 m nitric acid, and 1 m nickel nitrate. how could you use these solutions to determine the identities of each metal powder?

Here we have to identify the metal powder by the given disposal.

The identification of Zinc can be done by 1 m nitric acid (HNO₃) and Ni(NO₃)₂ which will produce hydrogen gas by reaction and displacement reaction as shown below.

Zn + 2 HNO₃ = Zn(NO₃)₂ + H₂ (g)

Zn + Ni(NO₃)₂ = Zn(NO₃)₂ + Ni

The identification of lead can be done by the reaction with 1 m nitric acid (HNO₃) which produces lead nitrate.

The reaction is-

Pb + 4HNO₃ = Pb(NO₃)₂ + 2NO₂ + 2H₂O

The identification of platinum can be done by the reaction with all the given disposal as it will not react with any of the compound.

1. Identification of Zinc (Zn):

(a) Zn metal will not react with sodium nitrate (NaNO₃) as sodium remains at the lower position of the activity series than zinc.

Zn + NaNO₃ = No reaction

(b) Zn metal will react with 1 m HNO₃ to form hydrogen gas. The reaction is:

Zn + 2 HNO₃ = Zn(NO₃)₂ + H₂ (g)

(c) Zn will react with nickel nitrate [Ni(NO₃)₂] because it may only cause displacement reaction the reduction potential of Zn²⁺/Zn (-0.76) is less than that of Ni²⁺/Ni (-0.23). Thus the reaction will be:

Zn + Ni(NO₃)₂ = Zn(NO₃)₂ + Ni

2. Identification of lead (Pb):

(a) Pb metal will not react with sodium nitrate (NaNO₃) as sodium remains at the lower position of the activity series than Pb.

Pb + NaNO₃ = No reaction

(b) Pb reacts with HNO₃ to form lead nitrate. The reaction is:

Pb + 4HNO₃ = Pb(NO₃)₂ + 2NO₂ + 2H₂O

(c) The standard reduction potential of Pb²⁺/Pb is more than nickel Ni²⁺/Ni thus there will be no reaction between Pb and NI(NO₃)₂.

Pb + Ni(NO₃)₂ = No reaction.

3. Identification of platinum (Pt)

(a) Pt metal will not react with sodium nitrate (NaNO₃) as sodium remains at the lower position of the activity series than Pt.

Pt + NaNO₃ = No reaction.

(b) The standard reduction potential of Pt²⁺/Pt is so high (+1.188) thus there will be no reaction with HNO₃.

Pt + HNO₃ = No reaction

(c) The standard reduction potential of Pt²⁺/Pt is more than nickel Ni²⁺/Ni thus there will be no reaction between Pt and Ni(NO₃)₂.

Pt +  Ni(NO₃)₂ = No reaction.