<p>In reactions, as far as the AP exam goes, does acid and base lose or gain one H+ ion at a time or just get all or lose all at once? For example, is it H2CO3 + OH- —> HCO3- + H2O. Or is it H2CO3 + 2OH- —> CO3 2- + 2H20 ? (sorry if it’s hard to read) I know if it says equal molar, it means the first one, and if it says excess, it means the second one. but what if it doesn’t say if it’s equal molar or excess? And also, some acid like HNO3 break down into NO or NO2, does it only do that when there’s a redox somewhere in the reaction? like with a metal or something? what about when it’s just a basic acid-base neutralization? does it do the same thing?</p>
<p>Whenever there is a polyprotic acid, it always gives you mole information (equal volumes of equimolar, excess, etc.) It isn’t left ambiguous.</p>
<p>Nitric acid only changes to NO or NO2 in redox reactions, never in standard acid/base reactions.</p>