# Aqua Regia **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 9, 2000, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-regia/8383 "2000-03-09T17:00:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Torquemada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@Torquemada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Torquemada)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2000, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-regia/8383/1 "2000-03-09T17:00:00Z")
## About how much Hydrochloric and Nitric acid would be required to make this? Every cloud has a silver lining, but hundreds of people each year are killed by lightning while searching for it. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2000, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-regia/8383/2 "2000-03-09T17:09:00Z")
**aqua regia-** - Latin for _‘royal water’_ A Mixture of three parts concentrated hydrochloric acid and one part concentrated nitric acid, which dissolves all metals except silver. ---
**Author:** ![Ursa\_Major](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a88e57/32.png) [@Ursa\_Major](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ursa_Major)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2000, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-regia/8383/3 "2000-03-09T17:13:00Z")
It depends on how much aqua regia you want to make. It’s basically 5 parts Nitric Acid to 3 parts Hydrochloric Acid. Here’s the easiest way to figure it out: Start with two bottles of equal size. Fill one bottle with Nitric Acid, fill the second bottle with 75% Hydrochloric Acid and 25% Nitric Acid (3 parts Hydrochloric Acid and 1 part Nitric Acid). This formula will make “Aqua-Regia”. ---
**Author:** ![Ursa\_Major](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a88e57/32.png) [@Ursa\_Major](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ursa_Major)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2000, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-regia/8383/4 "2000-03-09T17:18:00Z")
Um, better go with UncleBeer’s formula. I think mine is the recipe for the Jeckle/Hyde potion. ---
**Author:** ![Torquemada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@Torquemada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Torquemada)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2000, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-regia/8383/5 "2000-03-10T22:26:00Z")
Thanks. I knew what it was, just not the proportions * * * Every cloud has a silver lining, but hundreds of people each year are killed by lightning while searching for it. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2000, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-regia/8383/6 "2000-03-10T02:37:00Z")
> [@](#): > > “I’ve invented an axe-wielding, homicidal maniac potion! It’s a sure cure for _not_ being an axe-wielding, homicidal maniac! I’ve put it in this Coke can so no one will drink it.” > > “You just know that before the night is over, someone’s going to drink the potion. That’s just the kind of crazy house this is!” – Vyvian and Neil, _The Young Ones_, “Flood” ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2000, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-regia/8383/7 "2000-03-10T03:31:00Z")
Have you been reading the cartons in the newspaper again? It’s relative to what this topic is. * * * I’m only your wildest fear, from the corners of your darkest thoughts. ---
**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2000, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-regia/8383/8 "2000-03-10T10:10:00Z")
I was just going to refer to Prince Valiant myself Phobia. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2000, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aqua-regia/8383/9 "2000-03-10T16:06:00Z")
If you mix a little glycerine in does it work faster?