Difference Between Nitrogen Monoxide and Dinitrogen Pentoxide

The key difference between nitrogen monoxide and dinitrogen pentoxide is that nitrogen monoxide is a colourless gas while dinitrogen pentoxide is a white solid.

Nitrogen monoxide and dinitrogen pentoxide are chemical compounds containing nitrogen and oxygen. These are oxides of nitrogen. However, they have different chemical and physical properties.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Nitrogen Monoxide 
3. What is Dinitrogen Pentoxide
4. Side by Side Comparison – Nitrogen Monoxide vs Dinitrogen Pentoxide in Tabular Form
5. Summary

What is Nitrogen Monoxide?

Nitrogen monoxide is an inorganic compound having the chemical formula NO. We call it nitric oxide since it is an oxide of nitrogen. It is actually a free radical because it has an unpaired electron. Moreover, it is a heteronuclear diatomic molecule.

Figure 01: Structure of Nitrogen Monoxide and the Bond Length between N and O

The molar mass of this compound is 30 g/mol. It occurs as a colourless gas. In addition, its melting point is −164 °C while the boiling point is −152 °C, which are very small values when compared to those of other oxides of nitrogen. We can produce this free radical via oxidation of ammonia at 850 °C in the presence of a platinum catalyst. However, on the laboratory scale, we can prepare it by the reduction of dilute nitric acid with copper.

What is Dinitrogen Pentoxide?

Dinitrogen pentoxide is an inorganic compound having the chemical formula N₂O₅. We call it nitrogen pentoxide. It is a binary nitrogen oxide. Moreover, it is unstable and can act as a dangerous oxidizer. The molar mass of the compound is 108.01 g/mol. It occurs a white colour solid.

Figure 02: Structure of Dinitrogen Pentoxide

Furthermore, the melting point of this compound is 41 °C and, at 47 °C this compound undergoes sublimation. This compound reacts with water, giving nitric acid. In addition, the molecular shape of the dinitrogen pentoxide molecule is planar. We can produce this compound via dehydrating nitric acid with phosphorus pentoxide.

What is the Difference Between Nitrogen Monoxide and Dinitrogen Pentoxide?

Nitrogen monoxide is an inorganic compound having the chemical formula NO while Dinitrogen pentoxide is an inorganic compound having the chemical formula N₂O₅. The key difference between nitrogen monoxide and dinitrogen pentoxide is that nitrogen monoxide is a colourless gas while dinitrogen pentoxide is a white solid. Moreover, we can produce nitrogen monoxide via oxidation of ammonia at 850 °C in the presence of a platinum catalyst. However, the production of dinitrogen pentoxide is via dehydrating nitric acid with phosphorus pentoxide. When considering the molecular shape, nitrogen monoxide is linear while dinitrogen pentoxide is planar.

Summary – Nitrogen Monoxide vs Dinitrogen Pentoxide

Nitrogen monoxide is an inorganic compound having the chemical formula NO while Dinitrogen pentoxide is an inorganic compound having the chemical formula N₂O₅. The key difference between nitrogen monoxide and dinitrogen pentoxide is that nitrogen monoxide is a colourless gas while dinitrogen pentoxide is a white solid.

Reference:

1. Mowry, Curtis, et al. “Materials Characterization Activities for “Take Our Sons&Daughters to Work Day” 2013.” Jan. 2013, doi:10.2172/1096449.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Nitric-oxide-2D” By YinY. – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Dinitrogen pentoxide” By Krishnavedala – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia

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