On heating blue coloured powder of copper (II) nitrate in a boiling tube, copper oxide, a colourless gas X and a brown gas Y is formed.1.) Identify the gases X and Y.2.) Identify the type of chemical reaction involved.3.) Write a balanced chemical equation of the above reaction.

1.) The gases X and Y formed during the heating of copper (II) nitrate are:

Gas X: Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) - a brown gas
Gas Y: Oxygen (O2) - a colorless gas
2.) The type of chemical reaction involved in this process is a thermal decomposition reaction. Thermal decomposition reactions occur when a substance is broken down into simpler substances by the application of heat.

3.) The balanced chemical equation for the reaction is as follows:

2Cu(NO3)2(s) -> 2CuO(s) + 4NO2(g) + O2(g)

In this reaction, copper (II) nitrate (Cu(NO3)2) decomposes into copper oxide (CuO), nitrogen dioxide gas (NO2), and oxygen gas (O2) when heated.