Gold parting instead of copper. One part pure gold is alloyed with three parts Sterling silver (inquarting). The resulting six karat (6K) gold can then be parted with dilute nitric acid (one part 68-70% nitric acid to one part DISTILLED water). With the karat gold this low (6K), and over medium high heat, the dilute nitric acid will dissolve the Sterling silver (and other base metals in the karat gold) starting on the outside surface of the 6K gold alloy, working its way into the gold alloy, forming a honeycomb structure as it works its way into the metals. Since nitric acid
Acid–base reaction HA represents the acid, B represents the base, BH represents the conjugate acid of B, and A represents the conjugate base of HA. For example, a Brønsted-Lowry model for the dissociation of hydrochloric acid (HCl) in aqueous solution would be the following: The removal of H from the HCl produces the chloride ion, Cl, the conjugate base of the acid. The addition of H to the HO (acting as a base) forms the hydronium ion, HO, the conjugate acid of the base. Water is amphoteric—that is, it can act as both an acid and a base. The Brønsted-Lowry model explains