Hg + 4 HNO3 → Hg(NO3)2 + 2 NO2 + 2 H2O

This is an oxidation-reduction (redox) reaction:

2 NV + 2 e- → 2 NIV (reduction)

Hg0 - 2 e- → HgII (oxidation)

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

Reactants:

  • Hg
    • Names: Mercury source: wikidata, accessed: 2019-09-07source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04, Hg source: wikidata, accessed: 2019-09-07, Quicksilver source: wikidata, accessed: 2019-09-07source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04
    • Appearance: Odourless heavy mobile silvery liquid metal source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04
  • HNO3 – Nitric acid source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27source: wikidata, accessed: 2019-09-02source: NIOSH NPG, accessed: 2019-09-02
    • Other names: Aqua fortis source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27source: wikidata, accessed: 2019-09-02source: NIOSH NPG, accessed: 2019-09-02, Spirit of niter source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27source: wikidata, accessed: 2019-09-02, Eau forte source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27
    • Appearance: Colorless, yellow or red fuming liquid source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27; Colourless-to-yellow liquid with pungent odour source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04; 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.] source: NIOSH NPG, accessed: 2019-09-02

Products:

  • Hg(NO3)2
    • Names: Mercuric nitrate source: wikidata, accessed: 2019-09-02source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04, Mercury (II) nitrate source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04, Mercury dinitrate source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04
    • Appearance: Colourless crystals or white hygroscopic powder source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04
  • NO2 – Nitrogen dioxide source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27source: wikidata, accessed: 2019-09-02source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04source: NIOSH NPG, accessed: 2019-09-02
    • Other names: Nitrogen(IV) oxide source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27, Deutoxide of nitrogen source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27, Nitrogen peroxide source: wikidata, accessed: 2019-09-02source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04source: NIOSH NPG, accessed: 2019-09-02
    • Appearance: Brown gas source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27; Reddish-brown gas or brown or yellow liquid with pungent odour source: ICSC, accessed: 2019-09-04; Yellowish-brown liquid or reddish-brown gas (above 70°F) with a pungent, acrid odor. [Note: In solid form (below 15°F) it is found structurally as N2O4.] source: NIOSH NPG, accessed: 2019-09-02
  • H2O – Water, oxidane source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27
    • Other names: Water (H2O) source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27, Hydrogen hydroxide (HH or HOH) source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27, Hydrogen oxide source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27
    • Appearance: White crystalline solid, almost colorless liquid with a hint of blue, colorless gas source: wikipedia, accessed: 2019-09-27