What is Ammonia?
Ammonia is a gas that doesn’t have a color. Its chemical formula is NH3.
It is made of hydrogen and nitrogen. In its liquid state, it is known as ammonium hydroxide. This inorganic chemical has an unpleasant odor. It is hazardous and corrosive in its concentrated form.
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At standard temperature and pressure, ammonia has a density of 0.76 kg/m3 less than that of air. It is frequently employed as a fertilizer. Additionally, it is utilized in the production of explosives such as nitrocellulose and TNT. Additionally, it is used to produce soda ash and nitric acid via the Ostwald process.
Ammonia Structure – NH3
Properties of Ammonia – NH3
| NH3 | Ammonia |
| Molecular Weight/ Molar Mass | 17.031 g/mol |
| Density | 0.73 kg/m³ |
| Boiling Point | -33.34 °C |
| Melting Point | −77.73 °C |
Ammonia is considered a weak base since it forms salts with numerous acids. In a reaction with hydrochloric acid, for instance, ammonia is transformed into ammonium chloride. All salts resulting from such acid-base reactions are known to contain the ammonium cation, represented by the symbol NH4+. It is noteworthy to note that ammonia also possesses weak acidic properties and is therefore an amphoteric molecule. Ammonia’s acidic properties allow it to produce amides with certain alkali metals and alkaline earth metals. When lithium is introduced to liquid ammonia, lithium amide is produced as an illustration of this type of reaction (a chemical compound with the formula LiNH2).
When dissolved in water, the NH3 molecule also experiences self-dissociation. The synthesis of ammonia’s conjugate base (NH2–) and conjugate acid (NH4+) arises from its molecular autoionization. The structure of the ammonium cation is depicted in the diagram below.
This process of autoionization is described by the equilibrium reaction:
2NH3 ⇌ NH2– + NH4+
Since ammonia is often a very weak base, it can be utilized for buffering (for the control of pH changes).
Preparation of Ammonia – NH3
An ammonium salt, such as ammonium chloride NH4Cl, is readily produced in the laboratory by heating it with a strong alkali, such as sodium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide.
2NH4Cl + Ca(OH)2 → CaCl2 + 2H2O + 2NH3(g)
It is also possible to produce the gas by heating concentrated ammonium hydroxide.
The Haber Process, which involves the direct mixing of nitrogen and hydrogen at high pressure in the presence of a catalyst, is the primary commercial technique of ammonia production.
Ammonia Uses
- It is used as fertilizer because it boosts agricultural output.
- It is used as a cleanser in the home; NH3 is combined with water to clean stainless steel and glass.
- It is used as an antibacterial agent in foods.
- It is used in the fermentation sector
- It acts as a refrigerant.
- It is used in the fermentation process as a pH adjuster.
- It neutralizes pollutants such as nitrogen oxides released by diesel engines.
- It is used as a rocket engine fuel
- It is used in textile manufacturing
- It is used in the production of synthetic fibers such as rayon and nylon.
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
Q.1 What is the chemical name of NH3?
NH3’s chemical name is ammonia. Trihydridonitrogen is also known as nitrogen trihydride. This chemical is the simplest known hydride of pnictogen.
Q.2 What are the uses of ammonia?
One of the most important uses of ammonia is as a fertilizer in the agricultural business. Ammonia, in its anhydrous form (or occasionally in the form of aqueous solutions or ionic salts), is frequently mixed with agricultural soils to improve the nitrogen content and, thus, the fertility of the soil. Typically, this is followed by increased crop yields and improved crop quality. This molecule is also utilized in the manufacture of numerous essential chemicals, including hydrazine and hydrogen cyanide.
Q.3 How is ammonia produced?
Prior to the beginning of the 20th century, ammonia was mostly manufactured by the dry distillation of nitrogen-rich animal and vegetable waste. The distillation of these waste products reduced nitrites and nitrous acids in addition to hydrogen. Ammonia was eventually obtained as a result. Currently, ammonia is manufactured industrially by the Haber-Bosch process, which involves a gas-phase interaction between molecular nitrogen and hydrogen. It is essential to remember that this reaction occurs at relatively high temperatures and pressures (in the order of 450 degrees celsius and over 10000 kilopascals).
Q.4 Does liquid ammonia act as a solvent?
The most studied and well-known non-aqueous ionizing solvent is liquid ammonia. This compound’s capacity to dissolve alkali metals into highly colored, electrically conductive, electron-rich solutions is its most prominent characteristic. In addition to these famous solutions, a great deal of the chemistry of liquid ammonia may be described with the aid of aqueous solutions by comparing them to reactions with similar properties.
Q.5 Where can ammonia be found naturally?
Ammonia is recognized to occur naturally in numerous environmental components, including soil, air, and vegetation. Additionally, it should be remembered that the human body produces ammonia while breaking down protein-containing foods into amino acids. The ammonia is subsequently transformed to urea. Ammonia and, by extension, the ammonium ion, are essential components of numerous crucial metabolic processes in humans.
