Editing Nitrous oxide (section)

===Laboratory methods===
The decomposition of ammonium nitrate is also a common laboratory method for preparing the gas. Equivalently, it can be obtained by heating a mixture of [[sodium nitrate]] and [[ammonium sulfate]]:<ref>[http://chemistry.tutorvista.com/inorganic-chemistry/nitrogen-family.html "Nitrogen Family"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141021035916/http://chemistry.tutorvista.com/inorganic-chemistry/nitrogen-family.html |date=21 October 2014 }}. chemistry.tutorvista.com</ref>
:{{chem2 | 2 NaNO3 + (NH4)2SO4 -> Na2SO4 + 2 N2O + 4 H2O }}

Another method involves the reaction of urea, nitric acid and sulfuric acid:<ref>[https://www.erowid.org/archive/rhodium/chemistry/nitrous.html "Preparation of Nitrous Oxide from Urea, Nitric Acid and Sulfuric Acid"].</ref>
:{{chem2 | 2 (NH2)2CO + 2 HNO3 + H2SO4 -> 2 N2O + 2 CO2 + (NH4)2SO4 + 2 H2O }}

Direct oxidation of ammonia with a [[manganese dioxide]]-[[Bismuth(III) oxide|bismuth oxide]] catalyst has been reported:<ref>{{cite journal|vauthors=Suwa T, Matsushima A, Suziki Y, Namina Y |title= Manufacture of Nitrous Oxide by the Catalytic Oxidation of Ammonia|journal= The Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry, Japan|volume=64|issue=11|pages= 1879–1888|year=1961|doi=10.1246/nikkashi1898.64.11_1879|doi-access=free}}</ref> cf. [[Ostwald process]].
:{{chem2 | 2 NH3 + 2 O2 -> N2O + 3 H2O }}

[[Hydroxylammonium chloride]] reacts with [[sodium nitrite]] to give nitrous oxide. If the nitrite is added to the hydroxylamine solution, the only remaining by-product is salt water. If the hydroxylamine solution is added to the nitrite solution (nitrite is in excess), however, then toxic higher oxides of nitrogen also are formed:
:{{chem2 | NH3OHCl + NaNO2 -> N2O + NaCl + 2 H2O }}

Treating {{chem|HNO|3}} with {{chem|SnCl|2}} and HCl also has been demonstrated:
:{{chem2 | 2 HNO3 + 8 HCl + 4 SnCl2 -> 5 H2O + 4 SnCl4 + N2O }}

[[Hyponitrous acid]] decomposes to N{{ssub|2}}O and water with a [[half-life]] of 16 days at 25&nbsp;°C at pH 1–3.<ref name="Wiberg&Holleman">Egon Wiberg, Arnold Frederick Holleman (2001) ''Inorganic Chemistry'', Elsevier {{ISBN|0-12-352651-5}}</ref>
:{{chem2 | H2N2O2 -> H2O + N2O }}