Inorganic reactions
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Is nitrate a base? how do you recognise a base? is it only a base when it's in a reaction with an acid?
Ulex replies
Acids and bases, according to Bronsted-Lowry theory, are defined in a complementary manner, linked by the proton. An acid donates protons, a base accepts protons. A species is only a base when it can be shown to accept protons. So, can nitrate ions accept protons? Yes, they can, but it takes a really strong acid in high concentration to make them do so. If sodium nitrate is heated with concentrated sulphuric acid, the nitrate ions accept protons from the sulphuric acid, and nitric acid can be distilled from the mixture.
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updated: 27 August 2003
