Nitrogen oxide explained

Nitrogen oxide may refer to a binary compound of oxygen and nitrogen, or a mixture of such compounds:

Charge-neutral

• Nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen(II) oxide, or nitrogen monoxide
• Nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen(IV) oxide
• Nitrogen trioxide, or nitrate radical
• Nitrous oxide, nitrogen(0,II) oxide
• Dinitrogen dioxide, nitrogen(II) oxide dimer
• Dinitrogen trioxide, nitrogen(II,IV) oxide
• Dinitrogen tetroxide, nitrogen(IV) oxide dimer
• Dinitrogen pentoxide, nitrogen(V) oxide, or nitronium nitrate
• Nitrosyl azide, nitrogen(−I,0,I,II) oxide
• Nitryl azide
• Oxatetrazole
• Trinitramide (or), nitrogen(0,IV) oxide

Anions

Name	Formula
Nitroxide	or
Nitrite	or
Nitrate	or
Peroxynitrite	or
Peroxynitrate	or
Orthonitrate	or
Hyponitrite	or
Trioxodinitrate or hyponitrate	or
Nitroxylate	or
Dinitramide	or

Cations

• Nitrosonium (or)
• Nitronium (or)

Atmospheric sciences

In atmospheric chemistry:

• (or NOx) refers to the sum of NO and .^[1]
• (or NOy) refers to the sum of and all oxidized atmospheric odd-nitrogen species (e.g. the sum of, , , etc.)
• (or NOz) = −
• Mixed Oxides of Nitrogen ("MON"): solutions of nitric oxide in dinitrogen tetroxide/nitrogen dioxide.

Stability

Due to relatively weak N–O bonding, all nitrogen oxides are unstable with respect to and, which is the principle behind the catalytic converter, and prevents the oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere from combusting.

See also

• Nitrate
• Nitrogen oxide sensor
• Sulfur nitrides, which are valence isoelectronic with nitrogen oxides

Notes and References

1. [United States Clean Air Act]