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Nitrogen & Ammonia

Nitrogen is an inert atmospheric gas. Ammonia is a basic nitrogenous compound with a variety of uses.

Nitrogen

Nitrogen

  • Nitrogen is a diatomic gas formed from two nitrogen atoms held together by a triple covalent bond.
  • The triple bond is very strong and difficult to break.
    • So, nitrogen is very unreactive (inert).
Ammonia and ammonium

Ammonia and ammonium

  • Ammonia (NH3 is a pyramidal compound with a lone pair of electrons.
  • The lone pair of electrons give ammonia basic properties.
    • Ammonia can act as a base and use its lone pair of electrons to accept a proton.
  • This how the ammonium ion (NH4+) is formed.
  • The type for covalent bond formed in this reaction is called a coordinate bond.
Ammonium salts

Ammonium salts

  • Ammonia is only a weak base. So, even though NH3 can accept an H+ ion, the H+ ion can be easily lost.
  • This can be represented by the following ionic equation:
    • NH3 + OH- ⇌ NH4+ + H2O
  • NH3 & NH4+ are called conjugate pairs.
  • So, when ammonium salts react with a base ammonia gas is evolved. For example:
    • NH4Cl + NaOH → NH3 + NaCl + H2O
Jump to other topics
1

Physical Chemistry

1.1

Atoms, Molecules & Stoichiometry

1.2

Atomic Structure

1.3

Chemical Bonding

1.4

States of Matter

1.5

Chemical Energetics

1.6

Electrochemistry

1.7

Equilibria

1.8

Partition Coefficient

1.9

Reaction Kinetics

2

Inorganic Chemistry

3

Organic Chemistry & Analysis

3.1

Introduction to Organic Chemistry

3.2

Hydrocarbons

3.3

Halogen Derivatives

3.4

Hydroxy Compounds

3.5

Carbonyl Compounds

3.6

Carboxylic Acids & Derivatives

3.7

Nitrogen Compounds

3.8

Polymerisation

3.9

Analytical Techniques

3.10

Organic Synthesis

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