A nitrate is a Salt that occurs when the nitric acid is combined with a base . It is important not to confuse it with the nitrite , arisen by the combination of nitrous acid with a base.
He nitric acid , chemical formula HNO3 , is a colorless and corrosive liquid that is composed of hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen . A base , on the other hand, is a substance that increases the concentration of hydroxyl ions if it is in solution.
When an acid is combined with a base, a Salt . In the process, the hydrogen atoms that were in the acid are replaced by basic radicals.
With these ideas clear, we can move forward with the definition of nitrate . This is called the Salt born by the combination of a base and the nitric acid .
Nitrates can be produced in the natural environment by protein breakdown , for example. The electric shocks that occur during a storm can also generate nitrates, just like the combustion at high temperature
He potassium nitrate , he ammonium nitrate and the sodium nitrate They are among the nitrates used on an industrial level. With these substances they are made explosives , fertilizers and other products.
He Chile nitrate On the other hand, it develops from the nitrate mixture. This natural fertilizer, which is generated in the deserts of northern Chile, is extracted from the caliche (a sandy type substance). As a fertilizer, Chile nitrate is generally used to replace the urea .
