What are two things that you observed when you heated the mixture of tin and nitric acid over the Bunsen burner in the virtual lab, and why was it necessary to heat the mixture in order to determine the empirical formula?

Question

lovelyharmonics · Answer

In a lab tin and nitric acid was heated over a Bunsen burner. 

My results:
Weight of evaporating dish: 24.35g
Weight of dish with tin: 26.47g
Weight of dish with tin and nitric acid (before heating): 30.97g
Weight of dish with tin and acid (after heating): 27.03

abmon98 · Answer

it will begin bubbling and will give off the toxic brown nitrogen dioxide.

asib1214 · Answer

When you heat a mixture to find out what is in it you are trying to remove anything with a lower boiling point. This is one of many methods used based on the physical properties of the substances in the mixture. For example A magnet would remove iron. It's not always necessary.

abb0t · Answer

Why are you asking us what YOU should have observed in the virtual lab?!?!?!

lovelyharmonics · Answer

I wasn't .-. I just needed help on the second part of it..."why was it necessary to heat the mixture in order to determine the empirical formula?" But I figured it'd be best to post the whole question