Nitrogen Oxides

Nitrogen oxides are a group of chemical compounds involving the elements of nitrogen and oxygen in different configurations. They include nitric oxide (NO), which usually takes a gaseous state and is the most stable of the oxides. Nitric oxide and other oxides are created when vehicle fuel is burned at high temperatures and they are significant pollutants. The oxides can be highly mobile and may be responsible for creating smog and ozone.

The other nitrogen oxides that can be formed include nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrous oxide (dinitrogen monoxide N2O), and the unstable compounds dinitrogen trioxide (N2O3), dinitrogen tetroxide (N2O4), and dinitrogen pentoxide (N2O5). The amalgamation of oxides created by the internal combustion process is referred to in entirety as NOx. The oxides are not all dangerous ...