Q. What are the Physical Properties of Nitric Acid?
Ans.
Nitric acid (HNO3) may be prepared by heating sodium nitrate with sulfuric acid:
NaNO3 + H2SO4 --> HNO3 + NaHSO4
The following animation illustrates this synthesis of nitric acid:
Note: during this synthesis, all glass must be used in the equipment because nitric acid dissolves cork and rubber.
-> Physical Properties of Nitric Acid
Nitric acid has a density of 1.4 g/cm3. It is colorless. Old samples are often yellow because of decomposition. As the yellow/brown NO2 gas forms due to exposure to light, nitric acid is usually kept in brown bottles.
4HNO3 --> 4NO2 + O2 + 2H2O