Answer to Question #147438 in General Chemistry for Ben

Question

Toxic mercury(I) nitrate, Hg 2 (NO 3 ) 2 , solution is added to a sodium hydroxide solution
to form a yellow-orange precipitate.

Answer 1

The reaction that took place:

$Hg_2(NO_3)_2 + 2NaOH → Hg\downarrow + HgO\downarrow + 2NaNO_3 + H_2O$

The yellow-orange precipitate is mercury(II) oxide: $HgO$ .