STUDY OF COMPOUNDS

AMMONIA
MOLECULAR FORMULA - NH3
MOLECULAR MASS - 17
DRAW LEWIS DOT STRUCTURE FOR NH3
Occurence -

1) Free State: Ammonia is present in small amounts in air and in traces of

natural water.

2) Combined State: In nature ammonia occurs in combined form in many

compounds such as ammonium chloride, ammonium sulphate.
Ammonia and Ammonium compounds being highly soluble in water, do not occurs as minerals

The Pungent smell which one encounters near a decaying heap of organic matter or a toilet is due to ammonia. It is produced
due to bacterial decomposition of urea (NH2-CO-NH2) present in the urine.

CO(NH2)2 + 2H2O —————> 2NH3 + H2O + CO2

Forms of Ammonia
1) Gaseous Ammonia (Dry Ammonia Gas)

2) Liquid Ammonia - When Dry ammonia is liquified by applying high

pressure it is called liquid ammonia.

3) Liquor Ammonia Fortis - It is a saturated solution of ammonia in water. It

is called 880 Ammonia. Its relative density is 0.880. It is stored in tightly
stoppered bottles in cold place.

4) Laboratory bench reagent - Dilute solution of Liquor ammonia is used a

laboratory reagent.
Preparation of Ammonia
1) General Methods of Preparation

Ammonia Gas Can be prepared by warming an ammonium salt with caustic alkali such as slaked lime or
caustic soda or caustic potash.

Ammonium Salt Alkali ———> Salt + Water + Ammonia

Ca(OH)2 (s)
2NH4Cl (s) + CaCl2 (s) + 2H2O + 2NH3
Slaked Lime

(NH4)2SO4 + Ca(OH)2

2NaOH
(NH4)2SO4 +
caustic soda
2KOH
(NH4)2SO4 +
Caustic Potash
Lab Preparation.
Collection - Ammonia Gas is collected in inverted gas
1) From Ammonium Chloride jar by downward displacement of air because it is
lighter than air
Reactants - Ammonium Chloride (NH4Cl) and calcium hydroxide It is highly soluble in water hence it cannot be
[Ca(OH)2]. collected over water

Reaction -
2NH4Cl + Ca(OH)2 ——> CaCl2 + 2H2O + 2NH3

Procedure - 1) Reactants are finely grinded and taken in a round

bottom flask fitted in a slanting position, mouth downwards as
shown in figure.
On Heating the Mixture, the ammonia gas is evolved.

Precautions - The Flask is tilted in a such a way that the water

formed in the reaction does not trickle back into the heated flask.

Drying of Ammonia Gas - In order to get dry ammonia the gas is

passed through drying tower containing lumps of quicklime (CaO).

Self Study - why are other drying

agents not used ! HW
Lab Preparation.

2) From metal nitrides

Ammonia can also be obtained by the action of warm water
on nitrides of metals like magnesium or aluminium

Reaction -
Mg3N2 + 6H2O ——>3Mg(OH)2 + 2NH3
Al-N + 3H2O ——> Al(OH)3 + NH3

Procedure - 1) Magnesium nitride or aluminium nitride is

kept in round bottom flask fitted with a thistle funnel and
a delivery tube as shown in the figure.

2) Warm Water is added very slowly

3) Ammonia gas is liberated and magnesium hydroxide or
aluminium hydroxide is also formed, but it remains in the
flask and the liberated ammonia gas escapes through the
delivery tube.

4) The ammonia gas formed is collected by holding a jar

with its mouth downwards over the delivery tube.

5) The gas can be dried by passing it through a quicklime

packed through a drying tower
An Aqueous solution of ammonia is prepared by dissolving
ammonia in water. The rate of dissolution of ammonia in water
is very high therefore, BACK SUCTION of water is possible.

To avoid this the funnel is attached to the outer end of the

delivery tube with rubber tubbing.

Procedure -

1) Water is taken in a container and only a small portion of

the mouth of the funnel is dipped in water.

2) As ammonia dissolves in water at a higher rate, than its

production in the flask, the pressure in the funnel level above
water level decreases for the moment and water rushes into
the funnel

3) As a result the rim of the funnel looses its contact with

water.

4) Since ammonia produced pushes the water down the funnel

comes in contact with water again.

5) In this way ammonia dissolves in water without back

suction
Manufacture of Ammonia - Haber’s Process
Reactants - N2 and H2 in the ratio 1:3 by volume

Sources of Reactants : N2 is obtained by fractional Distillation of Liquid air, hydrogen gas is obtained from water gas by Bosch
Process.

Reaction :

Favourable Conditions -

Temperature: Optimum Temperature is 450-500 Degree Celsius.

Pressure: Above 200 ATM
Catalyst: Finely divided iron
Promoter: Traces of Molybdenum or Al2O3

Rate of Conversion: About 15% of Reacting gases get converted to Ammonia

TASK: Write Procedure of HABER’s PROCESS referring to the diagram in previous Slide.

Recovery of Ammonia; Ammonia is separated by unreacted hydrogen and nitrogen by -

1) Liquefaction: Ammonia is liquified easily as compared to N2 and H2.

2) Absorbing in water because NH3 is Highly soluble in water while N2 and H2 are slightly soluble.
Note -

1) The reaction is Exothermic hence low temperature will favour the synthesis. However at low temperature reaction
proceeds slowly. In practice the optimum temperature has been found in the range of 450-500 degree celsius.

2) Four Volumes of Reactants produce 2 volumes of product, hence high pressure favours the formation of ammonia. The
optimum pressure is found to be 200-900 ATM. Practically a pressure of 250 ATM is used.

3) CATALYST and PROMOTER: The Speed of the reaction can be improved by using a catalyst which is finely divided iron,
obtained by the reduction of iron oxide.
A Promoter Molybdenum or Al2O3 is used to increase the efficiency of catalyst
 Physical properties of ammonia
Particulars Properties
Colour Colourless
Odour Strong, Pungent Choking Smell
Taste Slightly bitter (alkaline) Taste
Non Poisonous, if inhaled affects RS, and brings tears to eyes, it is powerful heart
Physiological Action
stimulant nd may cause death if inhaled in large scale.

Density Vapour Density = 8.5 (lighter than air)

Nature Alkaline Nature
Liquefaction Easily liquified at 10 DC by compressing it at 6 ATM
Boiling Point Liquid ammonia boils at -33.5 DC
Freezing Point Solid NH3 Melts at -77.7 DC
Solubility Highly soluble in water. 1 Vol of water dissolves 702 Vol of NH3 at 20 Dc and 1 ATM

Fountain experiment to check solubility of NH3 is self study.

 CHEMICAL properties of ammonia
1) Thermal Dissociation: Ammonia Gas Dissociates into nitrogen and Hydrogen at high temperature or by electric spark.

2NH3 ——> N2 + 3H2

2) Basic Properties: Dry Ammonia is a covalent molecule. So it is neutral even in liquified form. Its aqueous solution is a weak
base. The basicity is due to the lone pair of electron in the nitrogen molecule.
The aqueous solution of Ammonia [NH4OH] is a weak base. It dissociates partially to give hydroxyl Ions [OH-]. The alkaline
behaviour is due to the hydroxyl ion.
Indicator Change in Colour
ORIGINAL TO
Moist Litmus Red Blue
Methyl Orange Orange Yellow
Phenolpthalein Colorless Pink

3) Burning of Ammonia in Oxygen: Ammonia is not a supporter of combustion. It extinguishes a burning splint and does not burn
in air. It burns in oxygen with greenish yellow Flame.

4) Catalytic Oxidation of Ammonia: In presence of platinum at 800 DC, ammonia reacts with oxygen to give nitric oxide and
water vapour.
4NH3 + 5O2 ———> 4NO + 6H2O + Heat
2NO + O2 ———> 2NO2 (brown gas)
5) Ammonia as a reducing agent:

i) Reduction of Metallic Oxides: Ammonia reduces heated metallic oxides to give metals, water vapour and Nitrogen.
2NH3 + CuO ———> 3Cu + H2O + N2
ii) Reduction of Chlorine to Hydrogen Chloride: When chlorine reacts with ammonia it is reduced to HCl, which further
combines with excess of ammonia and forms NH4Cl.

2NH3 + 3Cl2 ———> N2 + 6HCl 6NH3 + 6HCl ———> 6NH4Cl

6) Reaction with Acids: Ammonia being a weak base, accepts proton[Hydrogen ions] to form Ammonium ions. It reacts with
Acids to form ammonium salts.
NH3 (gas) + HCl (gas) ———> NH4Cl (solid)
Write reactions of NH3 with HNO3 and H2SO4 (2 different reactions)

7) Reaction of aqueous solution of ammonia (NH4OH) with soluble metal salts: Ammonium Hydroxide reacts with soluble salts
of metal to give insoluble precipitate of their respective hydroxide. (except sodium and potassium)

FeSO4 + 2NH4OH ———> (NH4)2SO4 + Fe(OH2)

Write reaction for FeCl3, Pb(NO3)2, Zn(NO3)2, CuSO4
 Task
1) Uses and advantages
2) Experiments of Chemical
Properties
3) Fountain Experiment to check
the
solubility of NH3