170 NON-METALS AND THEIR COMBINATIONS. 



pounds derived from ammonia by replacement of one or more hydrogen atoms 

 by basic atoms or radicals, and it is in keeping with this terminology that the 

 compound under consideration is known as hydroxyl-amine, while hydrazine 

 is termed di-amine. 



Hydroxylamine is prepared by the action of nascent hydrogen on nitric acid : 



HN0 3 + 6H = NH 2 OH -f 2H 2 O. 



The compound is known only in solution ; with acids it forms well-defined 

 salts, which appear to be ammonium salts in which a hydrogen atom has been 

 replaced by hydroxyl. The formation of salts may be represented thus : 



NH 2 OH +HN0 3 - NH 3 OHNO S 

 NH 2 OH + HC1 == NH 3 OHC1 



Triazoic acid, N 3 H (Hydrazoic add). This remarkable substance was first 

 isolated in 1890 from organic compounds. It is now obtained also from inor- 

 ganic material by the action of sodium on ammonia, when a compound of 

 the composition NH 2 Na is formed, which by treatment with nitrogen monoxide 

 produces water and sodium triazoate. The latter, by the action of an acid, is 

 converted into a sodium salt and free triazoic acid. The three steps of the 

 process may be represented thus : 



NH 3 + Na = NH 2 Na + H 



NH 2 Na + N 2 = Na N/ || + H 2 O 



/N /N 



2Na-N/ || + H 2 SO 4 = N a2 SO 4 + 2HN/ |^ 



Triazoic acid is a colorless gas, possessing a disagreeable odor. It is soluble 

 in water, and this solution can be distilled, but the operation is dangerous, as 

 the compound is apt to decompose with explosive violence. When inhaled it 

 acts as a poison, producing violent headache. 



While the three compounds of hydrogen with nitrogen considered above are 

 of a basic nature, triazoic acid has decidedly acid properties. In fact, it is a 

 stronger acid than acetic acid, and resembles hydrochloric acid in precipitating 

 soluble silver and rnercurous salts. 



Compounds of nitrogen and oxygen. Five distinct compounds 

 of nitrogen and oxygen are known. They are named and constituted 

 as follows : 



Composition. 



By weight. By volume. 



NO NO 



Nitrogen monoxide, N 2 O ... 28 16 2 1 



Nitric oxide, NO 28 32 2 2 



Nitrogen trioxide, N 2 O 3 ... 28 48 2 3 



Nitrogen tetroxide, N 2 O 4 = 2(NO 2 ) . 28 64 24 



Nitrogen pentoxide, N 2 O 5 ... 28 80 2 5 



The trioxide and pentoxide are called also acid anhydrides, or ni- 

 trous and nitric anhydride respectively, because they combine with 



