3 Fe + 8 HNO₃ → 3 Fe(NO₃)₂ + 2 NO + 4 H₂O

This is an oxidation-reduction (redox) reaction:

HNO₃ is an oxidizing agent, Fe is a reducing agent.

Reactants:

• Fe
  • Names: Iron , Fe , Element 26 ... show moreFer , 26Fe , Eisen , Ferrum , Hierro , Carbonyl iron , Electrolytic iron , Ferrum metallicum , Iron powder , Iron, carbonyl , Iron, electrolytic , Iron, elemental , Iron, reduced , Reduced iron show less
• HNO₃ – Nitric acid
  • Other names: Aqua fortis , Spirit of niter , Eau forte ... show moreHydrogen nitrate , Acidum nitricum , Nitric acid (> 70% in water) , Fuming nitric acid , Engravers acid , HONO2 , Red fuming nitric acid , RFNA , White fuming nitric acid (WFNA) show less
  • Appearance: Colorless, yellow or red fuming liquid ; Colourless-to-yellow liquid with pungent odour ; Colorless, yellow, or red, fuming liquid with an acrid, suffocating odor. [Note: Often used in an aqueous solution. Fuming nitric acid is concentrated nitric acid that contains dissolved nitrogen dioxide.]

Products:

• Fe(NO₃)₂
• NO – Nitrogen monoxide , Oxidonitrogen(•) (additive)
  • Other names: Nitric oxide , Nitrogen(II) oxide , Nitric oxide (radical) ... show moreMononitrogen monoxide , (.)NO , EDRF , Nitrogen monooxide , [NO] , Oxido de nitrogeno(ii) , NO(.) , Oxido nitrico , Stickstoff(ii)-oxid , NO , Oxyde azotique , Oxyde nitrique , Stickstoffmonoxid , Nitrosyl , (NO)(.) , Monoxido de nitrogeno , Endothelium-derived relaxing factor , Nitroxide radical , Nitroxyl , Nitrosyl radical , Hydroxyamine , Nitrogen oxide , Nitrogen protoxide , Nitrosyl hydride , Nitric Oxide show less
  • Appearance: Colourless gas ; Colourless compressed gas ; Colorless gas. [Note: Shipped as a nonliquefied compressed gas.]
• H₂O – Water, oxidane
  • Other names: Water (H2O) , Hydrogen hydroxide (HH or HOH) , Hydrogen oxide ... show moreDihydrogen monoxide (DHMO) (systematic name) , Hydrogen monoxide , Dihydrogen oxide , Hydric acid , Hydrohydroxic acid , Hydroxic acid , Hydrol , Μ-oxido dihydrogen , Κ1-hydroxyl hydrogen(0) show less
  • Appearance: White crystalline solid, almost colorless liquid with a hint of blue, colorless gas