Nitric oxide or Nitrogen monoxide is a compound with formula NO. Nitric Oxide is extremely important to the body of humans as a signaling molecule. It is a toxic air pollutant, which is often produced by automobiles and power plants and is important to the chemical industry as well.
NO is often confused with nitrous oxide, which is a general anesthetic and also NO2 (Nitrogen Dioxide), which is extremely poisonous. NO is a molecule with unpaired electrons, which causes its high reactivity. When it reacts with ozone, it becomes a reddish-brown color formed nitrogen dioxide.
Nitric Oxide is a very simple molecule, but is also a key molecule in neuroscience, physiology, and immunology. In fact, it is so key that it won the 1992 “Molecule of the Year.”