March 28, 2024, 08:16:45 PM
Forum Rules: Read This Before Posting


Topic: The Spirit of nitre  (Read 2625 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Kartiky14

  • Regular Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 27
  • Mole Snacks: +0/-2
The Spirit of nitre
« on: February 24, 2012, 06:07:19 AM »
Why is it inconvenient to manufacture Nitric acid from atmospheric nitrogen??

Offline Arkcon

  • Retired Staff
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 7367
  • Mole Snacks: +533/-147
Re: The Spirit of nitre
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2012, 08:03:50 AM »
Can you find a hint in the structure of nitrogen gas?  FWIW, we do make nitric acid from atmospheric nitrogen -- there's just a lot of important intermediate steps.
Hey, I'm not judging.  I just like to shoot straight.  I'm a man of science.

Offline Caustikola

  • Regular Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 61
  • Mole Snacks: +4/-9
  • Gender: Male
    • Chemistry:The Central Science
Re: Spirit of Nitre
« Reply #2 on: February 24, 2012, 02:04:13 PM »
Atmospheric Nitrogen exists as N2 (of course it's a triple bond between the N atoms. Preparing HNO3 entails oxidation of N from 0 to +5. While it is  possible to oxidize atmospheric Nitrogen from 0 to +2 in NO by electric sparking, it will probably require a series of steps before you get Nitrogen at +5 oxidation state and the temperatures required will be extremely high and uneconomical
« Last Edit: March 11, 2012, 09:18:07 AM by Arkcon »
Nothing gets higher than where God dwells. If there is an upper limit to the universe,call it the abode of God

Offline mrshaikh1960

  • New Member
  • **
  • Posts: 3
  • Mole Snacks: +0/-0
Re: The Spirit of nitre
« Reply #3 on: February 24, 2012, 05:52:22 PM »
By using hydrogen per oxide

Sponsored Links