Which one is more acidic, nitric acid or sulfuric acid?

Nitric acid and sulfuric acid are both acidic substances. Comparatively speaking, the acidity of sulfuric acid is stronger than that of sulfuric acid. In life, nitric acid is a common chemical raw material and can be used in the production of fertilizers, pesticides, etc.; sulfuric acid is also an industrial raw material and can be used as a dehydrating agent, etc. It is also used in industrial processing such as petroleum purification and metal smelting, and is also used in general dyes.

1. Introduction to Nitric Acid

Nitric acid is a strong acid with strong oxidizing and corrosive properties. It is a monobasic inorganic strong acid, one of the six major inorganic strong acids, and also an important chemical raw material. In industry, it can be used to make fertilizers, pesticides, explosives, dyes, salts, etc. In organic chemistry, a mixture of concentrated nitric acid and concentrated sulfuric acid is an important nitrating reagent, and its aqueous solution is commonly known as nitric acid water or ammonia nitrogen water. The corresponding hazard symbols are O (Oxidizing agent) and C (Corrosive). The anhydride of nitric acid is nitrogen pentoxide (N2O5).

2. Introduction to Sulfuric Acid

Sulfuric acid (chemical formula: H2SO4), the most important oxygen-containing acid of sulfur. Anhydrous sulfuric acid is a colorless oily liquid that crystallizes at 10.36°C. Its aqueous solutions of various concentrations are usually used and are prepared by the tower method and the contact method. The former produces crude dilute sulfuric acid, with a mass fraction of generally around 75%; the latter produces concentrated sulfuric acid with a mass fraction of 98.3%, a boiling point of 338°C, and a relative density of 1.84.

Sulfuric acid is one of the most active binary inorganic strong acids and can react with most metals. High concentration of sulfuric acid has strong water absorption capacity and can be used as a dehydrating agent to carbonize carbohydrate-containing materials such as wood, paper, cotton and linen fabrics, and biological skins and flesh. When mixed with water, it also releases a large amount of heat energy. It is highly corrosive and oxidizing, so use with caution. It is an important industrial raw material that can be used to make fertilizers, medicines, explosives, pigments, detergents, batteries, etc. It is also widely used in industries such as petroleum purification, metal smelting, and dyes. It is often used as a chemical reagent and can be used as a dehydrating agent and sulfonating agent in organic synthesis.