The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
All other sections in this Literature Study Guide are owned and copyrighted by BookRags, Inc.
Nitric oxide (sometimes called nitrogen monoxide) has the chemical formula NO. It is a colorless gas at standard temperature and pressure and it is slightly toxic. Nitric oxide is generally prepared by reacting copper and nitric acid or industrially by oxidation of ammonia over a catalyst (this is the first step in the manufacture of nitric oxide by the Ostwald process). At high pressure decomposition occurs to give other oxides of nitrogen, chiefly N2O and NO2. This latter oxide can also be produced by oxidation with atmospheric oxygen. Nitric oxide re acts with halogens to produce a compound with the chemical formula of halogenNO. These are the nitrosyl halides that act as strong oxidizing agents. Loss of an electron will give NO+, the nitrosonium ion which is also a strong oxidizing agent.
Nitric oxide is an important hormone in the human body. It causes the muscles surrounding blood vessels to relax, which allows an increased passage of blood. It can also help the immune system kill invading parasites.
Nitric oxide is also present in the atmosphere. Atmospheric nitric oxide is either naturally occurring (produced by electrical discharges) or is present as a pollutant from the combustion of organic matter and also from the internal combustion engine. In non-polluted air nitric oxide is found at levels of 0.01 ppm, but in smog it can be present in concentrations as high as 0.2 ppm.