Why can nitrous acid exhibit both oxidizing and reducing properties?

Nitrous acid tends to exhibit oxidizing and reducing properties because nitrogen, as an element located in the fifth group, has a valency of five. Based on this, nitrogen has an intermediate oxidation state of +3. Consequently, he can either give up his atoms to the location of another element, or receive them. 1) HNO2 + Br2 + H2O = HNO3 + 2HBr – here the oxidation state of nitrogen was +3, but it became +5; 2) 2HNO3 + 2HCl = 2NO + Cl2 ↑ + 2H2O – here the oxidation state of nitrogen was +3, but it became +2.



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