Question

What occurs when sulfuric acid is mixed with sodium nitrate? What occurs when sulfuric and nitric acids are mixed?

Answer 1

`H_2SO_4(aq) + NO_3^(-) rightleftharpoons HSO_4^(-) + HNO_3(aq)`

Explanation:

Of course there would be proton transfer.

When sulfuric acid is mixed with 1/2 equiv nitric acid, the nitronium ion is produced:

`2H_2SO_4 + HNO_3 rarr NO_2^(+) + 2HSO_4^(-) + H_2O`

This mixture of 2 equiv. sulfuric and nitric acids is the so-called nitrating mixture used to nitrate aryl reagents.