Nitric acid, is a highly corrosive mineral acid. The pure compound is colorless, but older samples tend to acquire a yellow cast due to decomposition into oxides of nitrogen and water.
There are THREE different elements and a total of FIVE atoms in nitric acid.
The formula for nitric acid is HNO3. This means there is one atom of hydrogen, one atom of nitrogen, and three atoms of oxygen in one molecule of nitric acid.
So, Thus, your answer will be FIVE if you're counting the molecules but if you are counting the elements then it is THREE.
-Snooky
