4 Mg + 10 HNO3 → 4 Mg(NO3)2 + NH4NO3 + 3 H2O

This is an oxidation-reduction (redox) reaction:

4 Mg0 - 8 e- → 4 MgII (oxidation)

NV + 8 e- → N-III (reduction)

Mg is a reducing agent, HNO3 is an oxidizing agent.

Reactants:

  • Mg
    • Names: Magnesium source: wikidata, accessed: 2019-09-07, Magnesium (powder) source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04, Magnesium (pellets) source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04
    • Appearance: Grey powder source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04; Silvery-white metallic solid in various forms source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04
  • HNO3 – Nitric acid source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27source: wikidata, accessed: 2019-09-02source: NIOSH NPG, accessed: 2019-09-02
    • Other names: Aqua fortis source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27source: wikidata, accessed: 2019-09-02source: NIOSH NPG, accessed: 2019-09-02, Spirit of niter source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27source: wikidata, accessed: 2019-09-02, Eau forte source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27
    • Appearance: Colorless, yellow or red fuming liquid source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27; Colourless-to-yellow liquid with pungent odour source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04; Colorless, yellow, or red, fuming liquid with an acrid, suffocating odor. [Note: Often used in an aqueous solution. Fuming nitric acid is concentrated nitric acid that contains dissolved nitrogen dioxide.] source: NIOSH NPG, accessed: 2019-09-02

Products:

  • Mg(NO3)2 – Magnesium nitrate source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27source: wikidata, accessed: 2019-09-02source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04
    • Other names: Nitromagnesite (hexahydrate) source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27, Nitric acid, magnesium salt source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04
    • Appearance: White crystalline solid source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27; Hygroscopic colourless or white crystals source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04
  • NH4NO3 – Ammonium nitrate source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27source: wikidata, accessed: 2019-09-02source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04
    • Other names: Nitric acid, ammonium salt source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04
    • Appearance: White/grey solid source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27; Colourless-to-white hygroscopic solid in various forms source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04
  • H2O – Water, oxidane source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27
    • Other names: Water (H2O) source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27, Hydrogen hydroxide (HH or HOH) source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27, Hydrogen oxide source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27
    • Appearance: White crystalline solid, almost colorless liquid with a hint of blue, colorless gas source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27