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Glite Dictionary
nitrohydrochloric acid

nitrohydrochloric acid

9.9
A strong yellow liquid that gives off toxic fumes and dissolves metals like gold and platinum
  • noun
  • /ˌnaɪtroʊhaɪdrəˈklɔrɪk ˈæsɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : ácido nitrohidroclórico
  • The laboratory technician used nitrohydrochloric acid to dissolve the gold samples for analysis.

Examples

  • Always handle nitrohydrochloric acid with care, as its fumes are both toxic and corrosive.

  • Because of its ability to dissolve noble metals, nitrohydrochloric acid is vital in refining processes.

  • The chemist carefully handled nitrohydrochloric acid in the lab.

  • Can you explain what nitrohydrochloric acid is used for?

  • Always handle nitrohydrochloric acid with care, as its fumes are both toxic and corrosive.

  • Because of its ability to dissolve noble metals, nitrohydrochloric acid is vital in refining processes.

  • The laboratory technician used nitrohydrochloric acid to dissolve the gold samples for analysis.

Synonyms

aqua regia
vsnitrohydrochloric acid
  • Specialized
9.9

A very strong mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acid that can dissolve gold and platinum

is the same mixture but given under a different technical name

Surface Forms

nitrohydrochloric acid singular
nitrohydrochloric acids plural

Morphology

nitrohydrochloric + acid

The head noun 'acid' is transparent as a chemical substance, and the form 'nitrohydrochloric' is compositionally built from chemical elements/prefixes (nitro- / hydrochloric) that point to a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids. However, this is specialized chemistry terminology and the exact meaning/combination is not predictable for an average B1 learner without technical morphological or domain knowledge, so it is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Nitrohydrochloric acid gets its name from the two acids it contains: nitro (from nitric acid) and hydrochloric acid, so the word is literally a name for a mix of those parts. This very strong mix gives sharp fumes and can 'dissolve' metals like gold, so that's why the name points to a powerful acid used to dissolve metals.