nitric acid
2
4.6
- noun
- /ˈnaɪtrɪk ˈæsɪd/
- Specialized
:
ácido nítrico
- The warning label on the container indicated that nitric acid is highly toxic and should be handled with caution.
- concentrated nitric acid
- nitric acid and sulfuric acid
I used some diluted nitric acid to etch a sword blade.
- I used some diluted nitric acid to etch a sword blade.
- Smell the copper dust under the graver, the scent of black wove paper and nitric acid in the rough basement.
Examples
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All wipe samples were digested as described above with nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide.
Academic text (2004) -
Uranium oxide and nitric acid are fed through a dissolving tank into a buffer tank.
Academic text (1999) -
Five per cent nitric acid solution:
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I want water, cold water, lots of it, a probe, a saw, some nitric acid.
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All the systems were melted at their core by nitric acid ...
Fiction book (1998) -
The students nervously pour nitric acid into beakers.
Fiction book (2002) -
I used some diluted nitric acid to etch a sword blade.
-
The column was then rinsed with a 100 mL aliquot of 0.25 M nitric acid prepared in 2:1 methanol:ethanol.
Academic text (2018) -
Ozone corrodes metals, cracks certain rubber compounds, and reacts with nitric acid to form nitrogen dioxide.
Academic text (1993) -
The ash was dissolved in concentrated nitric acid and diluted to 100 mL with distilled water (Zheng et al., 2009).
Academic text (2015)
Synonyms
A very strong acid used in chemistry to dissolve metals
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is compositionally predictable: 'nitric' (relating to nitrogen) modifies 'acid' (a corrosive substance), so the phrase denotes an acid associated with nitrogen. This follows a standard modifier+noun naming pattern used cross-linguistically in chemistry, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer it is a specific, likely strong, acid even if they do not know the exact formula or uses.
Etymology
Nitric acid: The name nitric acid comes from the old word 'nitre', or 'saltpeter', a white mineral people used long ago to make chemicals. The part nitric originally meant 'of nitre', so the strong, corrosive substance made from that mineral became known as nitric acid. That's why nitric acid now refers to the powerful acid used in fertilizers and explosives.