Patricia Romero-Tinajero
Chemistry 141
November 19, 2015
Nitric Acid

Chemical Name= nitric acid
Molecular Formula=HNO3
Molar Mass= 63.0 g/mol
Composition= H (1.6%) N (22.2%) O (76.2%)
Density= 1.54 g/cm³

Nitric acid (HNO3), is a water-soluble liquid that can range in color from clear to yellow liquid, it forms white crystals when it solidifies at -41.6˚C. It boils at 86˚C, if is boiled light or even at room temperature goes throw the process of a partial decomposition which means it should be stored below 0˚C(Nitric Acid 2015). Nitric acid is the most common nitrogen acid. When Nitric acid is constantly boiling in a mixture with water contains only 68% HNO by weight, and become to have an atmospheric pressure of 68.4% by weight and boiling at 121.9˚C (Nitric Acid 2015). When it is combined with moist air, fumes emitted by acid gives it the name of fuming nitric acid. Since Fuming nitric acid is highly concentrated it is label as “red fuming acid” or “fuming nitric acid” because when it is exposure to air it emits a reddish-brown fume, and the color comes from the nitrogen dioxide that is liberated at the time it is exposure to air (Glenn2005). The concentration of nitric acid of the red fuming nitric acid is about 85%. Fuming nitric acid is also labeled as “white fuming nitric acid”, and is highly concentrated anhydrous nitric acid and it has a concentration of approximately 98-99%; from the 100% the rest 1-2% is water and nitrogen dioxide. (Glenn 2005)). Nitric acid is a powerful oxidizing which nitrates many organic compounds and a strong monobasic acid because there is only one dissociation (Glenn 2005). It has been known for around 1000 years, it helped since the early experiments because of its ability to dissolve different metals which include copper and silver. Another important ability it has is to passivate some metals which include iron and aluminum (Richard 2007). It has an important industrial significance because the modern production processes of acid depend on it. Nitric acid is a mineral known as aqua fortis, which means strong water and also aqua Valens which means powerful water (Richard 2007). Is a strong acid because when it’s in a dilute solution it is almost completely ionized to H+ and NO3- and it’s also a powerful oxidizer (Glenn 2015). The estimate production of Nitric Acid is 60 million tones annually in the world (T0he Essential Chemical Industry 2015). The approximate price per 1 liter of Nitric Acid is $52.80. (Art Chemicals 2006).
Nitric acid has different methods to be prepared, it was first prepared by Ancient alchemists and Jabbar ibn Hayyan whose name is known in Latin as Geber was credited with the discovery (721-815). Gerber preparation of fuming acid was to distill potassium nitrate (KNO3) with sulfuric acid (H2SO4) (Glenn 2015). Before modern times the preparation of Nitric acid was by reacting sodium nitrate (NaNO3, Chilean saltpeter) and sulfuric acid. Since the 100% acid can't be entirely stable that's the reason why it's prepared from its azeotrope by distillation with concentrated sulfuric acid and then it condense nitric acid from the nitric acid vapor evolved in the reaction. (Glenn 2015). It can be prepared using The Ostwald method developed in 1902 by the German chemist Wilhelm Ostwald (1853-1932), who got the Nobel Prize in 1909. When the Germans nitrate supplies were cut off during World War I, the Ostwald method enabled them to produce explosives. It has several steps and the first one is to oxidize ammonia at approximately a temperature of 900⁰C and by that nitric oxide (NO) is produced, and water. These process have a chemical equation of 4NH3 (g) +5O2 (g) →4NO (g) + 6H20 (g). This process in way to be carried out it needs the presence of a 90% platinum, 10% rhodium catalyst in the form of wire gauze (Glenn 2005). At a low temperature (less than 50⁰C) the nitric oxide produce further oxidized noncatalytically, in way to produce nitrogen dioxide and its dimer nitrogen tetroxide with the chemical equation of N2O4: 2NO (g) + O2 → 2NO2 (g) ↔ N2O4 (g). For the final step is involved the absorption of nitrogen dioxide-dimer in water in form to produce nitric acid with the chemical equation of 3NO2 (g) + 2H2O (l) → 2HNO3 (aq) + NO (g). When Nitric acid is produced using this process the typical concentration is between 40% and 60%. The normal concentration obtain from water and nitric acid is 68% because they form an azeotrope that make it the highest distillation that can be obtained (Richard 2007). Also severe thunderstorms can produce temperatures high enough to generate nitrogen dioxide which combines with water to form nitric acid (Glenn 2005). Nitric acid is a high tonnage industrial chemical and the main use of much of its production is used for the production of agricultural fertilizers, and around three-fourths of nitric acid is used for this purpose. Ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) is the primary fertilizer; also the preferred nitrogen fertilizer because of its easy production, economics, and its high nitrogen content of 35%. Nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizers can also be produced by nitric acid (Richard 2007). The produce of ammonium nitrate is by reaction nitric acid and ammonia; with the chemical equation of HNO3 (aq) → NH4NO3 (aq) (Richard 2007). Around 15% of the production of nitric acid is used in explosives (nitrates and nitro compounds), is used as the red fuming acid or as nitrogen tetroxide (HNO3) as the oxidizer in propellants for space rockets and missiles. For chemical industry it’s consumed around 10% (Glenn 2005). Nitric acid is used to produce nitrates by nitrating numerous other compounds. “Nitric acid is used also to produce adipic acid (C6H4O10), which is used in the production of nylon.” Some additional uses of nitric acid are variety processes which include print making. Also for oxidation, nitration, and as catalyst in numerous reactions; it’s used for the production of items such as dyes, pharmaceuticals and synthetic fabrics. Nitrates which are the salts of Nitric acid are soluble in water. Since one of the chemical properties of Nitric acid is that dissolves metals, is used extensively in the metal industries (Glenn 2005). Nitric acid is a dangerous chemical which should be handled with regard to its corrosive and oxidizing properties. Nitric acid does not itself burn, but it oxidizes organic matter and makes it highly flammable Avoid contact with concentrated nitric acid it stains the skin yellow which produces deep and painful burns (Nitric Acid 2015). When nitric acid is being mixed with metal or organic compounds don’t breathe fumes given off because the effects may be delayed but still fatal. Always stay away from any red-brown fumes. Its vapors are highly corrosive to the eyes, skin, and mucous membranes, it can also destroy human tissues. Inhalation of high concentrations can lead to severe respiratory irritation and delayed effects, for example pulmonary edema, which may be fatal. Ingestion of nitric acid may result in burning and corrosion of the mouth, throat, and stomach. An oral dose of 10 mL can be fatal in humans (Nitric Acid 2015). By the OSHA is regulated as hazardous chemical and air contaminant and an extremely hazardous substance and toxic chemical under SARSH. Nitric acid is a very corrosive compound when in concentrated form such as that commonly used in industrial and chemical processes (Glenn 2005).
Acid rain is a precipitation form that has high levels of nitric and sulfuric acids. Other different ways it can occur is in the form of snow, fog, and tiny bits of dry material which can settle to Earth. When vegetation is rotten and eruption of volcanoes occur they release some chemicals that can cause acid rain, but human activities lead to the most acid rain fall (National Geographic 2015). Power plants, factories and automobiles need to burn fossil fuels to work and they are the biggest. When fossil fuels are burn, makes sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) to be released into the atmosphere. In the atmosphere these chemical gases form mild solutions of sulfuric and nitric acid because they react with water, oxygen, and other substances. Winds spread the solutions of sulfuric and nitric acids over hundreds of miles across the atmosphere. At the point when acid rain reaches Earth, began floating across the surface in runoff water, then enters water systems, and finally sinks into the soil. Ecological effects of acid rain are many different ones, but none of them is greater than its impact on lakes, streams, wetlands, and other aquatic environments. The reason why it is the greater impact in aquatic environments is that acid rain makes waters acidic and these causes water to absorb the aluminum that makes its way from soil into lakes and streams. After that combination water becomes toxic to crayfish, clams, fish, and other aquatic animals. Even though some species can tolerate acidic waters better than others, in an interconnected ecosystem the food chain impacts many more species which also include non-aquatic species such as birds (National Geographic 2015). Another impact of acid rain is in the forest, and those at higher elevations have the greater impact. Acid rain releases aluminum in the oil and robs the soil of essential nutrients, by that it’s harder for trees to take up water, and the tree’s leaves and needles are also harmed by acids (National Geographic 2015). The pollutants that are released to the threes by acid rain and combined with other environmental stressors, lead trees and also plants to become less able to handle cold temperatures, insects, and disease. Also the ability of trees to reproduce is damaged by the damage left from acid rain (National Geographic 2015). In way for us to get a better idea of the harmful effects of acid rain we can think about the governments that have tried to curb emission by cleaning up industry smokestacks and promoting alternative fuel sources, even if that work it would still have to pass many years in way for the effects to disappear. The solids that have the greater effects of acid rain are areas where the soil's "buffering capacity" is low and that is because some soils are able to neutralize acids better than others. There is only one way to fight acid rain and that is by curbing the release of the pollutants that cause it. Which are the electricity we use in our homes and vehicles. By these fewer fossil fuels will be burn (National Geographic 2015).

Bibliography

Richard L. Myers. (2007). 100 Most Important Chemical Compounds. An imprint of Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. p. 194-196.

Glenn D. Considine. (2005). Van Nostrand’s Encyclopedia of Chemistry. A John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Publication. p. 1077-1078.

Shashi Bhushan Agrawal, Madhoolika Agrawal. (October 28, 1999). Environmental Pollution and Plant Responses. CRC Press; 1 edition. p. 270.

Nitric Acid. (2015, January 15). Retrieved November 20, 2015, from http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Nitric_acid

National Geographic. (2015). Retrieved November 19, 2015, from http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/acid-rain-overview/

Art Chemicals. (2006). Retrieved November 18, 2015, from http://www.artchemicals.com/Nitric_Acid_70_Technical_p/807020834.htm?1=1&CartID=0

The Essential Chemical Industry (2015). Retrieved November 18, 2015, from
http://www.essentialchemicalindustry.org/chemicals/nitric-acid.html