Assertion: Formic acid reduces mercuric chloride to mercurous chloride on heating, while acetic acid does not. Reason: Formic acid is stronger than acetic acid.

Question

Assertion: Formic acid reduces mercuric chloride to mercurous chloride on heating, while acetic acid does not. Reason: Formic acid is stronger than acetic acid. (A) Both Assertion and Reason are true and Reason is the correct explanation of Assertion (B) Both Assertion and Reason are true but Reason is not the correct explanation of Assertion (C) Assertion is true but Reason is false (D) Assertion is false but Reason is true

Tardigrade Admin · Accepted Answer

Formic acid behaves as reducing agent as it is oxidised to an unstable acid carbonic acid, which decomposes into

C O_{2}

and

H_{2} O

H COO H + 2 H g C l_{2}

\Rightarrow H g_{2} C l_{2} + C O_{2} + 2 H Cl

H COO H + H g_{2} C l_{2}

\Rightarrow C O_{2} + 2 H Cl + 2 H g

(Black)

Acetic acid remains unaffected by mercuric chloride, as it does not show reducing properties.

Q. Assertion: Formic acid reduces mercuric chloride to mercurous chloride on heating, while acetic acid does not. Reason: Formic acid is stronger than acetic acid.

Both Assertion and Reason are true and Reason is the correct explanation of Assertion

Both Assertion and Reason are true but Reason is not the correct explanation of Assertion

Assertion is true but Reason is false

Assertion is false but Reason is true

Q. Assertion: Formic acid reduces mercuric chloride to mercurous chloride on heating, while acetic acid does not.
Reason: Formic acid is stronger than acetic acid.