WAEC - Chemistry (2018 - No. 28)

\(Cu\) and \(HNO_{3}\) are not suitable for preparing hydrogen gas because of their

reactivity and oxidation respectively

conductivity and corrosiveness respectively

melting point and reduction respectively

electronegativity and solubility respectively

Copper is not active enough to replace hydrogen in an acid. Also, nitric acid is a strong oxidizing agent which quickly oxidises hygrogen to water.