1 Key Points

Ammonia

1. Ammonia gas can be prepared by the following chemical methods :
(i) By warming ammonium salts with alkalis :
NH
4
Cl +NaOH
heat
NaCl +H
2
O +NH
3

(ii) By the action of water on metallic nitrides :
AlN +3H
2
O Al(OH)
3
+NH
3

(iii) From elements :
N
2
+3H
2

Fe +Mo at 450 C
200 Atms 9000 Atms

2NH
3
+
2. In the laboratory, ammonia gas is prepared by heating a mixture of
ammonium chloride and calcium hydroxide.
2NH
4
Cl +Ca(OH)
2
CaCl
2
+2NH
3
+2H
2
O
Ammonia is dried by passing through quicklime and collected by
the downward displacement of air.
3. Ammonia gas cannot be dried over (i) conc. sulphuric acid (ii)
phosphorus pentoxide (iii) anhydrous calcium chloride as they react
with it to form ammonium salts.
4. Habers process : One volume of dry nitrogen and three volumes of
dry hydrogen are compressed to 200 atms 900 atms. The mixture
is passed over electrically heated catalyst iron, which contains
molybdenum as promoter. An exothermic and reversible reaction
takes place with the formation of ammonia gas.
N
2
+3H
2

Fe +Mo at 450 C
200 Atms 9000 Atms

2NH
3
+
The yield is about 60%. In order to carry the reaction in forward
direction, the products are suddenly cooled, so that ammonia
liquefies and separates out.
The unreacted mixture of gases is recompressed and again passed
over catalyst.




2 Key Points

5. Physical properties of ammonia gas :
(i) It is a colourless gas which fumes strongly in air.
(ii) It has a sharp burning smell which brings tears to the eyes.
(iii) It is highly soluble in water. One volume of water can dissolve
1300 volumes of gas.
(iv) It is lighter than the air. Its V. D. is 8.5, compared to air,
whose V.D. is 14.4.
(v) It is non-poisonous in nature. However, being basic in
character, it damages the respiratory system.
6. Chemical properties of ammonia gas :
1. It dissolves in water to form ammonium hydroxide. Thus, it turns
moist red litmus paper blue.
NH
3
+H
2
O NH
4
OH
2. It reacts with acids to form ammonium salt.
2NH
3
+H
2
SO
4
(NH
4
)
2
SO
4

3. It burns in the atmosphere of oxygen to form nitrogen and steam.
4NH
3
+3O
2
2N
2
+6H
2
O
4. When the mixture of ammonia and oxygen is passed over heated
platinum at 900 C, it forms a mixture of nitric oxide and steam.
4NH
3
+5O
2

Pt 900 C
4NO +6H
2
O
5. When ammonia reacts with excess of chlorine, it forms nitrogen
trichloride and HCl.
NH
3
+3Cl
2
NCl
3
+3HCl

6. When ammonia reacts with limited amount of chlorine, it forms
ammonium chloride and nitrogen.
8NH
3
+3Cl
2
6NH
4
Cl +N
2
7. It reacts with hot sodium and potassium metals to form their
amides.
2Na +2NH
3
2NaNH
2
+H
2

8. It reduces black copper (II) oxide to copper metal. Similarly, it
reduces lead oxide to lead metal.
3CuO +2NH
3
3Cu +N
2
+3H
2
O

3 Key Points

7. Chemical properties of ammonium hydroxide : In addition to the
properties described above, ammonium hydroxide has the following
properties :
(i) It reacts with soluble salts of metals (except salts of sodium and
potassium) to form their insoluble hydroxides.
CuSO
4
+2NH
4
OH Cu(OH)
2
+(NH
4
)
2
SO
4

FeCl
3
+3NH
4
OH Fe(OH)
3
+3NH
4
Cl
(ii) When ammonium hydroxide solution is added to copper
sulphate solution, it first forms bluish white ppt. of Cu(OH)
2
,
which dissolves in excess of ammonia to form complex cupro
ammonium ion, which has a deep blue colouration.
CuSO
4
+2NH
4
OH Cu(OH)
2
+(NH
4
)
2
SO
4

Cu(OH)
2
+(NH
4
)
2
SO
4
+2NH
4
OH [Cu(NH
3
)
4
] SO
4
+4H
2
O
(iii) It forms white ppt. with silver nitrate solution. The precipitate
dissolves in excess of NH
4
OH to form soluble argento
ammonium ions.
AgNO
3
+NH
4
OH NH
4
NO
3
+AgOH

AgOH +2NH
4
OH [Ag(NH
3
)
2
]OH +2H
2
O
8. Uses of ammonia and ammonium hydroxide :
(i) It is used in the manufacture of fertilisers such as urea,
ammonium sulphate, etc.
(ii) It is used in the manufacture of nitric acid.
(iii) It is used in the manufacture of salts like ammonium chloride,
which is used in medicines.
(iv) NH
4
Cl is also used in dry cell industry and in the tin industry.
(v) It is used in the manufacture of washing soda and baking soda.
(vi) It is used as a refrigerant in ammonia ice plants.
(vii) It dissolves grease and is used as a cleansing agent for
removing grease spots.
(viii) It is used as an important laboratory reagent.



4 Key Points

9. Tests of ammonia :
1. It has a characteristic burning smell which brings tears to eyes.
2. It turns red litmus paper blue, turmeric paper brown and
phenolphthalein solution pink.
3. It forms dense white fumes with hydrochloric acid gas.
4. It turns Nesslers solution brown.
5. It forms bluish white ppt. with copper sulphate solution. The
precipitate dissolves in excess of ammonia to form deep blue
colouration.