Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Choy Yu Yong (2P306) Science Assignment


Hydrogen (H) + Carbon (C) + Nitrogen (N) = Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN)

Three harmless elements, hydrogen, carbon and nitrogen, forms hydrogen cyanide, an extremely poisonous and colourless liquid that boils just above room temperature, at about 26 degrees Celsius. Hydrogen cyanide is weakly acidic with a pKa of 9.2. It partly ionizes in water solution to give the cyanide anion. A solution of hydrogen cyanide in water is called hydrocyanic acid. The salts of hydrogen cyanide are known as cyanides. HCN has a faint, bitter, burnt almond-like odor that some people are unable to detect owing to a genetic trait. The volatile compound has been used as inhalation rodenticide and human poison. Cyanide ions interfere with iron-containing respiratory enzymes. 

(Quoted from Wikipedia)
Structural Formula :



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