Ammonia (NH₃) is a colorless gas with a pungent smell and is widely used in fertilizers, cleaning agents, and chemical industries. It can be prepared in the laboratory by heating ammonium chloride (NH₄Cl) with aqueous sodium hydroxide (NaOH).
The reaction is...
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Ammonia (NH₃) is a colorless gas with a pungent smell and is widely used in fertilizers, cleaning agents, and chemical industries. It can be prepared in the laboratory by heating ammonium chloride (NH₄Cl) with aqueous sodium hydroxide (NaOH).
The reaction is a double displacement reaction where hydroxide ions (OH⁻) from NaOH react with ammonium ions (NH₄⁺) to release ammonia gas and water:
NH₄Cl (s) + NaOH (aq) → NH₃ (g) + H₂O (l) + NaCl (aq)
In this reaction, ammonia gas is liberated and can be collected by upward delivery since it is lighter than air. Water and sodium chloride remain in solution.
Other options do not produce ammonia: water alone does not react with NH₄Cl to release NH₃, NaCl is inert in this context, and H₂SO₄ reacts differently with ammonium salts to produce ammonium sulfate, not ammonia gas.
This preparation demonstrates basic concepts in inorganic chemistry, including ion exchange reactions, gas collection techniques, and laboratory synthesis of common gases. It is an essential method for students to understand how laboratory reagents interact to release gases safely.
In summary, ammonia gas is prepared by heating NH₄Cl with aqueous NaOH, producing NH₃ gas, water, and NaCl. This reaction is widely used in teaching and laboratory experiments for learning gas preparation techniques.
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