Nitric Acid

Nitric acid is used for nitration as a  primary reagent, the addition of a group, generally to an organic compound. While some resulting nitro compounds are explosive also as thermally-sensitive explosives, a couple of them are stable enough to be utilised in munitions and demolition. In contrast, others are still more stable and used as pigments in inks and colourants. Aqua fortis or nitric acid is usually used as a robust oxidant.

Nitric acid may be a colourless, fuming, and highly corrosive liquid that’s a standard laboratory reagent and a crucial industrial chemical for the manufacture of fertilisers and explosives.

Nitric acid study material

Physical properties of Nitric Acid 

As we have studied in that laboratory, reagent aqua fortis or nitric acid contains HNO in their compounds. When boiling takes place in sunlight or the presence of any light or at any temperature, there is a small amount of decomposition in this reaction, which results in the affirmation of nitrogen dioxide.

•  The solubility of nitrogen oxides (NOx)  in aqua fortis or nitric acid influences all the physical characteristics counting on the concentration of the oxides more or less.
• Nitric acid can also dissolve in water in all the proportions, it means nitric acid is transparent or colourless compound.

Chemical properties of Nitric Acid 

• Nitric acid is formed by nitrogen dioxide when nitrogen dioxide is dissolved in water. We have studied emitting or producing aqua fortis, generally known as white inflamed or fuming aqua fortis and red inflamed aqua fortis, counting on the quantity of present nitrogen oxides.

NO2 + H2O → HNO3 + NO

• Nitric acid may be a strong acid and a powerful oxidant or oxidising agent. It also releases hydrogen gas when it reacts with elements above the hydrogen in metal series. Nitric acid works on thermal or light properties.

Oxidizing Properties of Nitric Acid 

• Nitric acid may have a strong oxidising property. That’s why it is also known as a strong oxidant. 
• Being a strong oxidant, aqua fortis reacts with many compounds of non -metals, and therefore, the reactions could also be explosive. Nitric acid reacts with all metals except some metal and alloys.  

• We can form nitrogen oxides by decomposing nitric acid.

Reaction with metals 

In nitric acid, most of the metals are dissolved like iron, copper, and silver, with generally the liberation of primary oxides of nitrogen. Noble metals can also dissolve in nitric acid.

Hydrogen gas is liberated when aqua fortis or nitric acid react with different types of metals. Aqua fortis or nitric acid may be a powerful oxidant. So, it oxidises the hydrogen gas formed during the reaction to make water and an oxide of nitrogen. 

Zn + 4HNO3 → Zn(NO3)2 + 2NO2 + 2H2O

Magnesium and manganese liberate hydrogen gas on reaction with nitric acid.

Mg + 2HNO3 → Mg(NO3)2 + H2

Reaction with non-metals

When nitric acid reacts with non-metals like silicon and halogen, it generally oxidises these compounds by a reaction to their peak oxidation states. The nitrogen dioxide is formed by concentrated form of nitric acid, and nitrogen oxide is formed by diluted form of nitric acid.

C + 4HNO3 → CO2 + 2H2O + 4NO2

Synthesis of Nitric Acid 

• In the laboratory, aqua fortis or nitric acid are often made up of by reacting equal masses of saltpetre (KNO3) with 896 per cent vitriol (H2SO4).and also with the help of copper-II, and when we distil the mixture of nitric acid at boiling point to form a white precipitate, potassium hydrogen sulphate (KHSO4), remains within the reaction container. Red fuming nitric acid or aqua fortis that we have obtained aqua fo could also be transformed into white aqua fortis or nitric acid. 
• We can also form with the help of ammonia. We have to oxidise ammonia to form nitric acid.

Uses of nitric acid 

• We use nitric acid or aqua fortis mainly in laboratories where different experiments are formed on these acids and their compounds.
• Explosives are made using nitric acid, which causes a lot of damage and also helps in formation of fertilisers like nitrate.
• Reactions of nitric acid with many organic compounds, like turpentine, are violent and hypergolic.when we use pure form of nitric acid then it will help in removing dirts,warts etc.In electrochemistry nitric acid used as doping agent or electrolyte.

 Nitric acid and its compounds are harmful as well as very useful in our day today life.

Conclusion 

Nitric acid has a lot of uses and side effects, and as we all know, acid turns blue litmus to red, It tastes sour etc. It also contributes to acid rain, which is very harmful to humans. Buildings like the Taj Mahal are turning yellow because of acid rain. After studying about nitric acid, we can conclude that aqua fortis or nitric acid is a harmful acid, and  It can burn human skin because it has a corrosive nature. Nitric acid is very harmful, so students and other people must use it under the supervision of experts. Nitric acid should be kept out of reach of students. Concentrated nitric acid is more harmful than dilute acid because it has more corrosive properties than dilute nitric acid.