NEETChemistrySolutions
Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R). Assertion (A): A mixture of nitric acid and water forms a maximum boiling azeotrope at a specific composition. Reason (R): In a mixture of nitric acid and water, the intermolecular acid-water interactions are stronger than the acid-acid and water-water interactions. In the light of the above statements, choose th
Options
- ABoth (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)
- BBoth (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)
- C(A) is true but (R) is false
- D(A) is false but (R) is true
Correct answer
A. Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)
Step-by-step solution
Assertion (A) is true: A mixture of nitric acid and water (68% nitric acid and 32% water by mass) forms a maximum boiling azeotrope. Reason (R) is true: Nitric acid and water form a non-ideal solution that shows a negative deviation from Raoult's law. This occurs because the intermolecular interactions between the unlike molecules (acid and water) are stronger than those between the like molecules (acid-acid and water-water). Because the interactions are stronger, the escaping tendency of the molecules decreases, l