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Related Concept Videos

1° Amines to Diazonium or Aryldiazonium Salts: Diazotization with NaNO2 Mechanism01:37

1° Amines to Diazonium or Aryldiazonium Salts: Diazotization with NaNO2 Mechanism

Nitrous acid is a relatively weak and unstable acid prepared in situ by the reaction of sodium nitrite and cold, dilute hydrochloric acid. In an acidic solution, the nitrous acid undergoes protonation when it loses water to form a nitrosonium ion—an electrophile. Nitrous acid reacts with primary amines to give diazonium salts. The reaction is called diazotization of primary amines.
1° Amines to Diazonium or Aryldiazonium Salts: Diazotization with NaNO2 Overview01:26

1° Amines to Diazonium or Aryldiazonium Salts: Diazotization with NaNO2 Overview

Nitrous acid and nitric acids are two types of acids containing nitrogen, among which nitrous acid is weaker than nitric acid. Nitrous acid with a pKa value of 3.37 ionizes in water to give a nitrite ion and the hydronium ion.
The nitrous acid is unstable. Hence, it is formed in situ from a solution of sodium nitrite and cold aqueous acids such as hydrochloric or sulfuric acid. In an acidic solution, the –OH group of nitrous acid undergoes protonation to give oxonium ion, followed by water loss...
Catalysis02:50

Catalysis

The presence of a catalyst affects the rate of a chemical reaction. A catalyst is a substance that can increase the reaction rate without being consumed during the process. A basic comprehension of a catalysts’ role during chemical reactions can be understood from the concept of reaction mechanisms and energy diagrams.
Colloidal precipitates01:09

Colloidal precipitates

The high insolubility of some precipitates can result in an unfavorable relative supersaturation. This can lead to colloidal particles with a large surface-to-mass ratio, where adsorption is promoted. For instance, in the precipitation of silver chloride, silver ions are adsorbed on the surface of the colloidal particles, forming a primary layer. This layer attracts ions of opposite charge (such as nitrate ions), forming a diffuse secondary layer of adsorbed ions. This electric double layer...
Nitriles to Carboxylic Acids: Hydrolysis01:08

Nitriles to Carboxylic Acids: Hydrolysis

Nitriles undergo acid-catalyzed hydrolysis or base-catalyzed hydrolysis to form a carboxylic acid. These reactions proceed via an amide intermediate.
2° Amines to N-Nitrosamines: Reaction with NaNO201:20

2° Amines to N-Nitrosamines: Reaction with NaNO2

Secondary amines react with nitrous acid to form N-nitrosamines, as depicted in Figure 1. Nitrous acid, a weak and unstable acid, is formed in situ from an aqueous solution of sodium nitrite and strong acids, such as hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid, in cold conditions. In the presence of an acid, the nitrous acid gets protonated. The subsequent loss of water results in the formation of the electrophile known as nitrosonium ion.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 11, 2026

LabVIEW-operated Novel Nanoliter Osmometer for Ice Binding Protein Investigations
09:32

LabVIEW-operated Novel Nanoliter Osmometer for Ice Binding Protein Investigations

Published on: February 4, 2013

Nitric acid-induced surface disordering on ice.

Samar G Moussa1, Min H Kuo, V Faye McNeill

  • 1Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA.

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP
|May 28, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Nitric acid (HNO3) exposure disorders water ice surfaces, changing its uptake from reversible adsorption to bulk diffusion. This impacts atmospheric chemistry in polar regions and the upper troposphere.

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Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets

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Last Updated: May 11, 2026

LabVIEW-operated Novel Nanoliter Osmometer for Ice Binding Protein Investigations
09:32

LabVIEW-operated Novel Nanoliter Osmometer for Ice Binding Protein Investigations

Published on: February 4, 2013

A Microfluidic Approach for the Study of Ice and Clathrate Hydrate Crystallization
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A Microfluidic Approach for the Study of Ice and Clathrate Hydrate Crystallization

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Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets
06:26

Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets

Published on: May 15, 2017

Area of Science:

  • Atmospheric Chemistry
  • Surface Science
  • Physical Chemistry

Background:

  • Nitric acid (HNO3) plays a crucial role in atmospheric chemistry, particularly in polar regions and the upper troposphere.
  • The interaction of HNO3 with water ice surfaces is critical for understanding atmospheric processes, but remains incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the interaction of nitric acid (HNO3) with water ice.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms of HNO3 uptake by ice under environmentally relevant conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized ellipsometry, a surface-specific technique, to study ice surface changes.
  • Employed a coated wall flow tube reactor coupled with chemical ionization mass spectrometry.
  • Investigated HNO3 partial pressures from 2 × 10(-8) to 1 × 10(-5) Torr and temperatures from 216 to 256 K.

Main Results:

  • Ellipsometry revealed that HNO3 exposure induces surface disordering on water ice.
  • Disordering was observed across a range of relevant temperatures and HNO3 partial pressures.
  • Coated wall flow tube studies showed a shift from reversible adsorption to bulk HNO3 flux when a disordered layer was present.

Conclusions:

  • The presence of a disordered interfacial layer significantly alters HNO3 uptake mechanisms on ice.
  • These findings have important implications for atmospheric chemistry models, particularly for polar stratospheric clouds and upper tropospheric processes.
  • Understanding HNO3-ice interactions is key to predicting atmospheric composition and ozone depletion.