Nitric acid (HNO3) is an extremely important chemical used in the manufacture of fertilisers and explosives. It is made from ammonia by the Ostwald Process (developed in 1902 by the German chemist Wilhelm Ostwald, who got the Nobel prize in 1909).
2. ethics (used with a sing. verb) The study of the general nature of morals and of the specific moral choices to be made by a person; moral philosophy. 3. ethics (used with a sing. or pl. verb) The rules or standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession: medical ethics.
Ethics (from the Ancient Greek word ethikos meaning 'theory of living'), is a type of philosophy which attempts to figure out that right versus wrong in any given situation or scenario. In general terms, ethics are practical moral standards that distinguish right from wrong, and give us a guide to living 'moral' lives. These standards might include duties that we should follow, such as fidelity in marriage, or the consequences of our behaviour on others.