Question

Dinitrogen and dioxygen are main constituents of air but these do not react with each other to form oxides of nitrogen because ______.

Options

• the reaction is endothermic and requires very high temperature.

• the reaction can be initiated only in presence of a catalyst.

• oxides of nitrogen are unstable.

• N₂ and O₂ are unreactive.

Answer 1

Dinitrogen and dioxygen are main constituents of air but these do not react with each other to form oxides of nitrogen because the reaction is endothermic and requires very high temperature.

Explanation:

Major compounds of atmosphere are dinitrogen, dioxygen and water vapour.

N₂ = 78.08%, O₂ = 20.95%

Both dinitrogen and dioxygen do not react with each other as nitrogen is an inactive gas. The triple bond in N₂ is very stable and its dissociation energy is very high. Both react with each other at very high temperature.

\[\ce{N2(g) + O2(g) ->[3000° C] 2NO(g)}\]