Tsar's Vodka and Gold - Periodic Table of Videos

TL;DR

Aqua Reger, a mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid, dissolves gold and can be found in special bottles of vodka in Russia.

Transcript

few weeks ago I was at a conference in Russia and like all Russian conferences there was a banquet and at the banquet they produced some special bottles of vodka so-called tar vodka SAS I didn't think this was anything special but the chemists were giggling and then they explained to me that SAS vodka is what Russians call the mixture of HCL and ni... Read More

Key Insights

• ♒ Aqua Reger, also known as Aqua Regia, dissolves gold by oxidizing it with the nitrogen ion from nitric acid.
• 😑 The chloride ions from hydrochloric acid help in dissolving the gold in Aqua Reger.
• 🏅 The color change in the Aqua Reger solution is a result of both the dissolved gold and the nitrogen species.
• ⌛ The Aqua Reger mixture requires time to mature, which can affect the dissolution process.
• 🤔 Hanging gold in a bottle of Aqua Reger requires using a thin glass fiber to prevent the solution from dissolving the suspension.
• 🤩 Aqua Reger is found in special vodka bottles in Russia known as "tar vodka" or "Tas vodka."
• 🧑‍💼 The historic experiments with Aqua Reger are displayed with other vodka bottles in the speaker's office.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is Aqua Reger and how is it made?

Aqua Reger is a mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid. The nitrogen ion in the mixture oxidizes gold and removes electrons from it, dissolving the gold.

Q: How does Aqua Reger react with gold?

Aqua Reger's nitrogen ion oxidizes gold by removing electrons from it. The gold reacts with the chloride ions from hydrochloric acid and dissolves, forming a solution.

Q: Why does the color of the solution darken as the gold dissolves?

The color change is due to the gold dissolving, but also to the nitrogen species present in the solution. As the gold concentration decreases, the nitrogen species become more pronounced, resulting in a darker color.

Q: Can Aqua Reger dissolve glass?

No, Aqua Reger does not dissolve glass. Glass bottles can be used to hold Aqua Reger without being affected by its corrosive properties.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• At a conference in Russia, the speaker encountered special vodka bottles containing Aqua Reger, a mixture that dissolves gold.

• Aqua Reger is made up of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid, with the nitrogen ion oxidizing and dissolving the gold.

• The color of the solution darkens as the gold dissolves, and the Aqua Reger mixture requires time to mature.