hydrocyanic acid
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A highly poisonous, colorless, volatile liquid: Hydrocyanic acid is a chemical compound consisting of hydrogen cyanide dissolved in water. It is extremely toxic and has a faint odor of bitter almonds.
- A solution used in industry and pest control: In diluted forms, it is used for fumigation and as a chemical intermediate in the synthesis of various organic compounds.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Hydrocyanic acid is a deadly poison that can cause rapid respiratory failure.
- The laboratory uses a weak solution of hydrocyanic acid in the synthesis process.
- Fumigation with hydrocyanic acid requires extreme safety precautions.
Advanced Usage
- Technical/Industrial Context: The term is used precisely in chemistry, toxicology, and industrial manufacturing.
- The safety data sheet for hydrocyanic acid details strict handling protocols.
- Historical Context: It has been infamously used as a chemical weapon and in executions.
- Hydrocyanic acid was the agent used in some gas chambers.
Variants and Related Words
- Hydrogen cyanide (HCN): The pure gaseous or liquid compound from which hydrocyanic acid is derived.
- Hydrogen cyanide gas is even more volatile than its aqueous solution.
- Prussic acid: An older, synonymous name for hydrocyanic acid.
- Prussic acid was a common term in early chemical texts.
- Cyanide: A related term referring to salts containing the CN⁻ ion, which share similar toxic properties.
- The toxicity of sodium cyanide is related to its release of cyanide ions, similar to the mechanism of hydrocyanic acid.
Synonyms
- Prussic acid (historical/technical synonym)
- HCN(aq) (chemical notation for the aqueous solution)
Related Phrases / Compounds
- Hydrocyanic acid gas: Refers to hydrogen cyanide in its gaseous state.
- The fumigation tent was filled with hydrocyanic acid gas.
- Weak hydrocyanic acid: Refers to diluted solutions used in controlled industrial applications.
- Weak hydrocyanic acid is a precursor in some pharmaceutical syntheses.
Important Notes
- Extreme Toxicity: This is the primary characteristic associated with the term. It inhibits cellular respiration.
- Chemical Property: It is a weak acid in aqueous solution, but its toxicity is not related to its acidity.
Noun
- a solution of hydrogen cyanide in water; weak solutions are used in fumigating and in the synthesis of organic compounds