chemical content of nitric acid

Pure nitric acid is not very stable. Even at ordinary temperature, in presence of sunlight it undergoes slight decomposition. As the temperature increases, the rate of decomposition also increases. On strong heating it decomposes completely to give nitrogen dioxide, water ..

Thermal stability - On heating, HNO 3 decomposes to give NO 2..

Oxidizing Properties - Nitric acid is a strong oxidizing agent. When it undergoes thermal decomposition, it yields nascent oxygen as follow..

Hot concentrated nitric acid oxidises sulphur to sulphuric acid. Sulphur is further oxidised by the nascent oxygen to sulphur trioxide. Sulphur trioxide then combines with water to form sulphuric acid..

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Preparation of Nitric Acid - Nitric acid can be prepared by distilling a mixture of a nitrate salt with concentrated sulphuric acid. As nitric acid is a volatile acid it can be expelled by a stronger but less volatile h..

Discovery of Nitric Acid - Johann Glauber (1604-1668) prepared nitric acid by heating nitre with concentrated sulphuric acid and then condensing the vapour. While Henry Cavendish determined the composition of nitric acid, Lavoisi..

Nitric acid is a monobasic acid and may be structurally represented as,..

Nitric acid can also be prepared entirely from the air. Air free from moisture and carbon dioxide is subjected to an electric arc whose temperature is around 3000 o C. At this temperature, nitrogen and oxygen of the air combine to form nitric oxide. Then nitroge..

The apparatus is set up as shown in figure 6.15. The combustion tube is heated strongly and concentrated nitric acid is allowed to flow into it. Due to the heat, it decomposes, liberating the corresponding gases. Reddish yellow fumes of nitrogen dioxide, water vapour and a ..