Nitric acid fuming nitric acid at concentrations above 86%. Nitric acid is the primary reagent used for nitration – the addition of a nitro group, typically to an organic molecule. While some resulting nitro compounds are shock- and thermally-sensitive explosives, a few are stable enough to be used in munitions and demolition, while others are still more stable and used as pigments in inks and dyes. Nitric acid is also commonly used as a strong oxidizing agent. Commercially available nitric acid is an azeotrope with water at a concentration of 68% HNO, which is the ordinary concentrated nitric acid of commerce. This
Orthosilicic acid Orthosilicic acid Orthosilicic acid is the chemical compound with formula . It is assumed to be present in dilute solutions of silicon dioxide (silica) in water. It can be synthesized in non-aqueous solutions. The term "silicic acid" has traditionally been used as a synonym for silicon dioxide, SiO, also known as "silica". Strictly speaking, silica is the anhydride of orthosilicic acid, Si(OH), from which it can be obtained by a dehydration reaction. The solubility of silica in pure water is about 1.5mM, or less, depending on the solid state structure of the compound. Because the concentration of orthosilicic acid is