iron filings + nitric acid reaction

[the guy]

what is the equation for the reaction of iron with nitric acid? (and yeah i think it has to be iron filings for it to react significantly)

[mississippichem]

what is the equation for the reaction of iron with nitric acid? (and yeah i think it has to be iron filings for it to react significantly)

 

This sounds like homework. We don't give homework answers but we do give homework help. It depends on what temperature, depending on the temperature and concentration of the acid you will either get Iron(II) nitrate or Iron(III) nitrate, along with nitric oxide or nitrogen dioxide.

 

Much of the nitrogen oxide redox chemistry is temperature dependent.

 

You should be able to work it out from here, just set up your reactants and products, then balance iron atoms, nitrogen atoms, hydrogen atoms and oxygen atoms; in that specific order. That's not the only way but that always works well for me; hydrogens and oxygens last, metals first.

[John Cuthber]

I think that nitric acid passivates iron; it certainly does with some stainless steels.

 

That means that in the right circumstances you might get a powdered iron, covered with a thin oxide layer suspended in a strong oxidant.

That's getting near to the conditions needed for an explosive so I'd be a bit careful about trying this one at home.

[mississippichem]

I think that nitric acid passivates iron; it certainly does with some stainless steels.

 

That was my initial reaction as well. Evidently it passivates bulk iron but will react with iron powder. That's what I read in a textbook, I've never seen it.

Edited March 7, 2011 by mississippichem

[the guy]

this isn't homework, this is simply my own curiosity, but i can understand your suspicion. the reason i asked for an equation is because i wanted to know the proportion of products as well as just what they were, but thank you anyway