Overview: Demonstrates generating nitrous oxide (N2O) by oxidizing hydroxylamine hydrochloride with sodium nitrite in water, using a glass apparatus to collect the gas over water.
Key steps: prepare aqueous solutions of sodium nitrite and hydroxylamine hydrochloride, assemble a reaction flask with an addition funnel, carefully add the hydroxylamine solution to control gas evolution, and collect the gas in an inverted water-filled beaker, covering it once production subsides.
Gas properties: nitrous oxide acts as an oxidizing agent and supports combustion, as shown by a burning-paper test.
Final observation: a dry reaction between finely divided sodium nitrite and hydroxylamine hydrochloride is less vigorous than with ammonium salts, but releases heat and nitrogen oxides; mixing nitrite salts with amines can be dangerous, leaving sodium chloride as residue.
Conclusion: the procedure includes safety cautions and an acknowledgment of the demonstration.
