Nitric Acid Chemical Reactions
Some of the common chemical reactions of nitric acid are:
Reaction with Metals
Nitric acid releases the hydrogen gas with the metals above hydrogen element in the metal activity series. For example-
Mg + 2HNO3 → Mg(NO3)2 + H2
Mn + 2HNO3 → Mn(NO3)2 + H2
Reaction with Water
Nitric acid can be decomposed easily to form brown nitrogen dioxide with the help of heat or light.
4HNO3 + 2H2O → 4NO2 + O2
Reaction with Ammonia
Ammonia on treatment with nitric acid, neutralizes the acid and forms ammonium nitrate.
NH3 + HNO3 → NH4NO3
Reaction with Sodium Hydroxide
Nitric acid reacts with bases like NaOH to form salts like NaNO3 and water. This is a neutralization reaction, and it is a common way to prepare nitrates from nitric acid.
NaOH + HNO3 → NaNO3 + H2O
Reaction with Zinc
Zinc reacts with concentrated HNO3 to form nitrogen dioxide:
Zn + 4HNO3(conc.) → Zn(NO3)2 + 2H2O + 2NO2 ↑
Zinc reacts with dilute HNO3 to form nitrous oxide:
4Zn + 10HNO3(dil.) → 4Zn(NO3)2 + 5H2O + N2O ↑
Reaction with Copper
Copper reacts with HNO3 to form copper nitrate:
Cu + 4HNO3 → Cu(NO3)2 + 2NO2 + 2H2O
Nitric Acid Decomposition Reaction
Nitric Acid decomposes into Nitrogen Dioxide which is brown in colour. The decomposition reaction of Nitric Acid is given below:
4HNO3 → 4NO2 + O2 + 2H2O
Nitric Acid – HNO3
Nitric Acid is a powerful and highly corrosive acid with the chemical formula HNO3. Nitric Acid is a colorless liquid that can range from pale yellow to reddish-brown due to decomposition into nitrogen dioxide and water. Nitric acid is a key reagent in the chemical industry, playing a crucial role in the production of fertilizers, explosives, and various other chemicals.
Nitric acid (HNO3) is a strong mineral acid known for its corrosive and highly reactive properties. Nitric Acid is also known as the Spirit of Niter and Aqua Fortis because of its ability to dissolve metals, particularly copper and silver. In this article, we will study in detail about Niitric Acid, the physical, and chemical properties of Nitric Acid, and the different applications of Nitric Acid.
Table of Content
- What is Nitric Acid?
- Structure of Nitric Acid (HNO3) Molecule
- How to make Nitric Acid?
- Properties of Nitric Acid
- Nitric Acid Chemical Reactions
- Uses of Nitric Acid