aqua regia
Dissolves noble metals
Aqua regia is a highly corrosive mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids, capable of dissolving gold and platinum—metals that resist other acids.
The name is Latin for "royal water," reflecting its power over the "royal" metals.
It appears yellow or orange and fumes when freshly mixed: The chemist used aqua regia to recover gold from electronic waste.
Corrosive HNO₃ compound
- hydrochloric acidCorrosive hydrogen chloride solution
- dissolutionBreaking up completely
- noble metalsChemically inert metallic elements
- gold refiningPurifying the yellow metal
precious metals · inorganic chemistry · analytical chemistry · parting · stoichiometry · oxidizing agent · chemical synthesis · reagent
Chemically burning; bitterly mocking
- etchingAcid-incised metal print
- etchantChemical for controlled corrosion
- fumingExtremely angry, visibly so
- reactiveTending to respond
destructive · penetrating · dissolving · aggressive · concentrated · oxidizing · pungent · volatile
Removing unwanted elements
- purificationRemoval of contaminants
- precious metalsRare, valuable metallic elements
- assayingTesting mineral content
- goldsmithPrecious metal artisan
bullion · karat · noble metals · electroplating · smelting · crucible · precipitating · metalwork
Legendary substance enabling transmutation
- transmutationComplete change of form
- alchemistsSeekers of elemental transformation
- hermeticImpenetrably closed off
- magnum opusCreator's supreme achievement
dissolution · gold · elixir · arcane · esoteric · alembic · medieval · occultism
Combined but unbonded substances
- nitric acidCorrosive HNO₃ compound
- hydrochloric acidCorrosive hydrogen chloride solution
- ratioComparative numerical relation
- solutionAnswer or liquid mixture
blend · concentrated · synthesis · preparation · combination · volatile · unstable · decomposition
nitric acid
Corrosive HNO₃ compound
- hydrochloric acidCorrosive hydrogen chloride solution
- dissolutionBreaking up completely
- noble metalsChemically inert metallic elements
gold refining · precious metals · inorganic chemistry · analytical chemistry · parting · stoichiometry · oxidizing agent · chemical synthesis · reagent · solvent
caustic
Chemically burning; bitterly mocking
- etchingAcid-incised metal print
- etchantChemical for controlled corrosion
- fumingExtremely angry, visibly so
reactive · destructive · penetrating · dissolving · aggressive · concentrated · oxidizing · pungent · volatile · hazardous
refining
Removing unwanted elements
- purificationRemoval of contaminants
- precious metalsRare, valuable metallic elements
- assayingTesting mineral content
goldsmith · bullion · karat · noble metals · electroplating · smelting · crucible · precipitating · metalwork · gilding
philosopher's stone
Legendary substance enabling transmutation
- transmutationComplete change of form
- alchemistsSeekers of elemental transformation
- hermeticImpenetrably closed off
magnum opus · dissolution · gold · elixir · arcane · esoteric · alembic · medieval · occultism · quintessence
mixture
Combined but unbonded substances
- nitric acidCorrosive HNO₃ compound
- hydrochloric acidCorrosive hydrogen chloride solution
- ratioComparative numerical relation
solution · blend · concentrated · synthesis · preparation · combination · volatile · unstable · decomposition · proportions
- chemicalschemicals, compounds, acids, reagents, solutions
- acidssulfuric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrofluoric acid
- arcane substancesphilosopher's stone, elixir of life, quintessence, phlogiston, aether
- Old Sciencephlogiston, aether, ether, caloric, miasma
- assay equipmentmuffle furnace, touchstone, flux, borax, nitric acid
- Metal Chemicalsetchant, flux, pickle, brightener, activator
aqua regiastrong base
Completely ionizing hydroxide donor
distilled water · base · sodium hydroxide · potassium hydroxide · lye
aqua regiahydrochloric acid
Corrosive hydrogen chloride solution
aquarium, regal, aquatic, aquamarine, aqua, aquariums, aqueous, aquatics, aquaculture