sodium nitrate (redirected from Nano3)

sodium nitrate, chemical compound, NaNO₃, a colorless, odorless crystalline compound that closely resembles potassium nitrate (saltpeter or niter) in appearance and chemical properties. It is soluble in water, alcohol, and liquid ammonia. Sodium nitrate is also called soda niter or Chile saltpeter. It is found naturally in large deposits in arid regions of Chile, Peru, Argentina, and Bolivia as caliche, a crude, impure nitrate rock or gravel. Natural deposits are the major source of sodium nitrate; it is also obtained in small amounts as a byproduct of chlorine production by the nitrosyl chloride process, in which sodium chloride (common salt) is reacted with nitric acid. Sodium nitrate is used in making potassium nitrate, fertilizers, and explosives. It was formerly an important raw material for the production of nitric acid.

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sodium nitrate [′sōd·ē·əm ′nī‚trāt]

(inorganic chemistry)

NaNO₃Fire-hazardous, transparent, colorless crystals with bitter taste; soluble in glycerol and water; melts at 308°C; decomposes when heated; used in manufacture of glass and pottery enamel and as a fertilizer and food preservative.