Nitric Acid – Uses, Structure and Formula
Nitric acid is a colorless, corrosive liquid that is used in the production of fertilizers, explosives, and other chemicals. It is also used in the manufacturing of nitrates and nitrites, which are used as food preservatives. Nitric acid has a structure that consists of a central nitrogen atom that is surrounded by three oxygen atoms. The formula for nitric acid is HNO 3 .
It is a strong acid that is used in many industrial and commercial applications. Some of the most common uses of nitric acid include:
• Producing fertilizers – Nitric acid is used to produce ammonium nitrate, which is a common fertilizer.
• Making explosives – Nitric acid is used to produce nitroglycerin, which is a key ingredient in many explosives.
• Manufacturing plastics – Nitric acid is used to produce some types of plastics.
• Cleaning metal surfaces – Nitric acid can be used to clean metal surfaces and remove corrosion.
• Etching metal – Nitric acid can be used to etch metal surfaces to create a desired pattern or design.
• Determining the concentration of solutions – Nitric acid can be used to determine the concentration of a solution by measuring the color of the solution.
Structure
The molecule consists of a nitrogen atom bonded to three oxygen atoms. The nitrogen atom is bonded to the oxygen atoms via double bonds. The molecule is polar, and the nitrogen atom is positively charged.
The formula for nitric acid is HNO3.
