Which of the following statements best explains why hydrogen gas is generally not evolved when metals react with dilute nitric acid (HNO3), with specific exceptions like magnesium and manganese?

Options:

• A: Nitric acid is a weak acid that cannot displace hydrogen from metals.
• B: Nitric acid is a strong oxidizing agent that oxidizes the hydrogen gas produced to water and itself gets reduced to nitrogen oxides.
• C: Nitric acid forms a protective passive layer of metal nitrate on the metal surface, preventing further reaction.
• D: Nitric acid reacts only with noble metals like gold and platinum, which do not displace hydrogen.

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