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Nitric acid is an inorganic corrosive liquid acid which is also referred to as the spirit of nitre and aqua fortis. It is used as an oxidizing agent, and to manufacture organic compounds.
Also Read: Acid Strength Factors pKa Charts
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Key Terms: Nitric Acid, Nitrate, Nitrite, Nitration, Neutralization, Strong Acid, Oxygen, Nitrogen
What Is Nitric Acid?
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Nitric acid is a strong mineral acid. It is a colourless liquid whose colour turns yellow with time due to the decomposition into oxides of nitrogen and water. The molecules of nitric acid contain 3 oxygen atoms, 1 nitrogen atom, and 1 hydrogen atom in which one of the oxygen atoms is doubly bonded to the central nitrogen atom.
Structure Of Nitric Acid
Uses Of Nitric Acid
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The specific uses of nitric acid are:
Nitric Acid In Rocket Propellant
- Nitric acid is being used as an oxidizer in liquid-fueled rockets.
Nitric Acid In Woodworking
- The low concentrations of nitric acid is used to artificially age pine and maple to produce a grey-gold colour.
Nitric Acid In Fertilizers
- Nitric acid is essentially used as fertilizer.
Also Read:
| Content Related Topics | ||
|---|---|---|
| Nitric Acid | Acids, Bases and Salts | Group 15 Elements |
Nitric Acid As Cleaning Agent
- 5–30% nitric acid is used for cleaning products.
- Nitric acid is also used as dairy equipment.
- The corrosive nitric acid is used in pickling stainless steel.
- The corrosive nitric acid is also used for cleaning silicon wafers in electronics.
- Nitric acid used with hydrochloric acid or alone is used to clean glass coverslips and glass slides for microscopy applications.
- Nitric acid is also used to clean glass before silvering while producing silver mirrors.
Nitric Acid As An Oxidant
- The cyclohexanone and nitric acid undergo oxidation which is a precursor form adipic acid.
Nitric Acid Is Precursor To Organic Nitrogen Compounds
- Nitric acid carries out nitration for the addition of the nitro group.
- The derivatives of aniline are prepared by the nitration of aromatic compounds which is then followed by reduction.
- The nitration further includes combining nitric and sulphuric acid in order to form nitronium ion that reacts electrophilically with aromatic compounds like benzene.
Nitric Acid As Analytical Reagent
- Dilute nitric acid is used to determine metal traces in solutions.
- Nitric acid in the terms of electrochemistry, is used in the purification processes of raw carbon nanotubes and chemical doping agents for organic semiconductors.
Also Read: Comparing the PH of Solutions of Strong and Weak Acids of the Same Concentration Experiment
Physical Properties Of Nitric Acid
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The physical properties of nitric acid are:
- The formula of nitric acid is HNO3
- The molecular weight/ molar mass of nitric acid is 63.01 g/mol
- The density of nitric acid is 1.51 g/cm3
- The boiling point of nitric acid 83 °C
- The melting point of nitric acid – 42 °C
Chemical Properties Of Nitric Acid
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The specified chemical properties are mentioned below:
- Nitric acid is a very strong acid.
- Nitric acid turns blue litmus red.
- Nitric acid can decompose on standing to form brown nitrogen dioxide.
- Nitric acid liberates hydrogen gas with metals.
Also Read:
| Chapter Related Topics | ||
|---|---|---|
| Oxidizing Agent | List of Strong Acids | Enthalpy of Neutralization of Strong Acid and Strong Base |
Things To Remember
- Dilute nitric acid is used to determine metal traces in solutions.
- Nitric acid is being used as an oxidizer in liquid-fueled rockets.
- Nitric acid is essentially used as fertilizer.
- The corrosive nitric acid is also used for cleaning silicon wafers in electronics.
- Nitric acid is a very strong acid.
Previous Years Questions
- The pH of 10−8MHCl solution is...[JEE Advanced 1981]
- The pH of a solution is 5.0. If H+ ion concentration is decreased 100 times. Then the solution will be:….[JIPMER 2003]
- The pOH value of a solution whose hydroxide ion concentration is 6.2×10−9 mol/litre is...[BITSAT 2012]
- 50mLof H2O is added to 50mL of 1×10−3M barium hydroxide solution. What is the pH of the resulting solution?..[BITSAT 2008]
- Assertion (A): The aqueous solution of CH3COONa is alkaline in nature. Reason (R): Acetate ion undergoes anionic hydrolysis The correct answer is..[BITSAT 2008]
- The weakest acid amongst the following is...[VITEEE 2007]
- The pH of a solution obtained by mixing 60 mL of 0.1 M BaOH solution at 40m of 0.15m HCI solution is...[KEAM 2016]
- The pH of this solution after mixing is (Ka=1.8×10−5)...[WBJEE 2011]
- The compound whose aqueous solution has the highest PH is...[NEET 1988]
- The pH of 0.01 M NaOH (aq) solution will be..[NEET 2019]
- Which of the above acids produces stronger conjugate base in aqueous solution?..[KCET 2021]
- Aluminium chloride is a/an..[KCET 2020]
- The conjugate base of NH3 is...[KCET 2020]
- The pH of the solution obtained by mixing 100ml of a solution of pH=3 with 400ml of a solution of pH=4 is..[KCET 2012]
- NH4OH is a weak base but it becomes still weakerin the aqueous solution of
- One of the following is a Bronsted acid but not a Bronsted base
- Species acting both Bronsted acid and base is
- The Bronsted acid which gives the weakest conjugate base is
- The conjugate base of HPO42− is
- The relative strengths of the acids will be
Sample Questions
Ques. Define nitric acid (1 Mark)
Ans. Nitric acid is an inorganic corrosive liquid acid which is also referred to as the spirit of nitre and aqua fortis. It is a colourless liquid whose colour turns yellow with time due to the decomposition into oxides of nitrogen and water. The molecules of nitric acid contain 3 oxygen atoms, 1 nitrogen atom, and 1 hydrogen atom in which one of the oxygen atoms is doubly bonded to the central nitrogen atom. It is especially used as an oxidizing agent, in nitrations, and for the manufacturing of organic compounds like fertilizers.
Ques. State the physical properties of nitric acid. (2 Marks)
Ans. The physical properties of nitric acid are:
- The formula of nitric acid is HNO3
- The molecular weight/ molar mass of nitric acid is 63.01 g/mol
- The density of nitric acid is 1.51 g/cm3
- The boiling point of nitric acid is 83 °C
- The melting point of nitric acid is – 42 °C
Ques. How is nitric acid used in a distinguished field? (10 Marks)
Ans. The usage of nitric acid used in the distinguished fields are:
Nitric Acid In Rocket Propellant
- Nitric acid is being used as an oxidizer in liquid-fueled rockets.
Nitric Acid In Woodworking
- The low concentrations of nitric acid is used to artificially age pine and maple to produce a grey-gold colour.
Nitric Acid In Fertilizers
- Nitric acid is essentially used as fertilizer.
Nitric Acid As Cleaning Agent
- 5–30% nitric acid is used for a cleaning product.
- Nitric acid is also used as dairy equipment.
- The corrosive nitric acid is used in pickling stainless steel.
- The corrosive nitric acid is also used for cleaning silicon wafers in electronics.
- Nitric acid used with hydrochloric acid or alone is used to clean glass coverslips and glass slides for microscopy applications.
- Nitric acid is also used to clean glass before silvering while producing silver mirrors.
Nitric Acid As An Oxidant
- The cyclohexanone and nitric acid undergo oxidation which is a precursor form adipic acid.
Nitric Acid Is Precursor To Organic Nitrogen Compounds
- Nitric acid carries out nitration for the addition of the nitro group.
- The derivatives of aniline are prepared by the nitration of aromatic compounds which is then followed by reduction.
- The nitration further includes combining nitric and sulphuric acid in order to form nitronium ion that reacts electrophilically with aromatic compounds like benzene.
Nitric Acid As Analytical Reagent
- Dilute nitric acid is used to determine metal traces in solutions.
- Nitric acid in the terms of electrochemistry, is used in the purification processes of raw carbon nanotubes and chemical doping agents for organic semiconductors.
Ques. What does nitric acid taste like? (1 Mark)
Ans. Nitric acid has acidic properties whose pH is less than 7. It has a bitter taste and a violent reaction to other metals.
Ques. Why concentrated H2SO4 is used while preparing nitric acid? (1.5 Marks)
Ans. The concentrated H2SO4 is a non-volatile acid and displaces volatile acids like HCL and HNO3 from their compounds like KCL and NaNO3.
Ques. List the chemical properties of nitric acid. (2 Marks)
Ans. The specified chemical properties are mentioned below:
- Nitric acid is a very strong acid.
- Nitric acid turns blue litmus red.
- Nitric acid can decompose on standing to form brown nitrogen dioxide.
- Nitric acid liberates hydrogen gas with metals.
Ques. How is nitric acid useful as a cleaning agent? (4 Marks)
Ans. Nitric acid as a cleaning agent:
- 5–30% nitric acid is used for cleaning products.
- Nitric acid is also used as dairy equipment.
- The corrosive nitric acid is used in pickling stainless steel.
- The corrosive nitric acid is also used for cleaning silicon wafers in electronics.
- Nitric acid used with hydrochloric acid or alone is used to clean glass coverslips and glass slides for microscopy applications.
- Nitric acid is also used to clean glass before silvering while producing silver mirrors.
Ques. What is nitric acid mainly used for? (1 Mark)
Ans. Nitric acid is basically used for the production of ammonium nitrate, a major component of fertilizers and it is also used for producing explosives like nitroglycerin and trinitrotoluene (TNT) and for oxidizing metals.
Ques. How can we identify nitric acid? (1 Mark)
Ans. Nitric acid is a liquid in appearance, it is colourless and inclined towards yellow with a strong, sticky, acidic odour. Concentrated nitric acid emits nitrogen dioxide and nitrogen oxide gases 85-100 per cent).
Ques. How is nitric acid neutralized? (1 Mark)
Ans. Sodium bicarbonate neutralizes nitric acid. To neutralise one part of nitric acid it requires one part of sodium bicarbonate.
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