Acid test (gold) mark is tested by applying aqua fortis (nitric acid), which dissolves the mark of any item that is not gold. If the mark remains, it is tested by applying aqua regia (nitric acid and hydrochloric acid). If the mark is removed, then this test dissolves the gold, proving the item to be genuine gold. More accurate testing of the item for its fineness or purity can be done through the use of differing strengths of aqua regia and comparative testing of gold items of known fineness. The figurative meaning of the expression, where it is applied to tests of character,
Phosphorous acid concentrating the solution and precipitations with alcohols, the pure acid can be separated from the salt. Phosphorous acid is a strong acid with a p"K" in the range 1.26–1.3. It is a diprotic acid, the hydrogenphosphite ion, HP(O)(OH) is a moderately strong acid: The conjugate base HP(O)(OH) is called hydrogen phosphite, and the second conjugate base, , is the phosphite ion. (Note that the IUPAC recommendations are hydrogen phosphonate and phosphonate respectively). The hydrogen atom bonded directly to the phosphorus atom is not readily ionizable. Chemistry examinations often test students' appreciation of the fact that "not" all three hydrogen atoms