Solution
Part 1 Copper can dissolve Nitric Acid in it :
∙ Nitric acid HNO
3
dissolves most metals including copper with generally the liberation of lower oxides of nitrogen rather than hydrogen.
∙ HNO
3
is a strong oxidising agent also.
∙ It oxidises copper to Cu
2+
ions .
hence copper dissolves in HNO
3
.
Part 2 HCl cannot dissolve Copper in it:
∙ Copper lies below Hydrogen in the reactivity series .
∙ copper cannot displace hydrogen to form its corresponding salt.
∙ There will be no reaction because Copper is a very unreactive metal, and it does not react with hydrochloric acid.
hence copper does not dissolves in HCl.