Ammonia, \(\mathrm{NH}_{3}\), is a gas, but it is very soluble in water, so when you bubble ammonia gas into water you produce an aqueous solution of ammonia. Interestingly, this solution is basic (hydroxide ions are formed). Postulate a reaction that occurs between ammonia and water to make the solution basic, and classify the reaction type.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The balanced chemical equation for the reaction between ammonia (NH3) and water (H2O) is: \[NH_{3(g)} + H_{2}O_{(l)} \rightleftharpoons NH_{4^{+}}_{(aq)} + OH^{-}_{(aq)}\] This reaction is classified as a Brønsted-Lowry acid-base reaction, with ammonia acting as a base gaining a proton (H+) and water acting as an acid donating a proton (H+) to form hydroxide ions (OH-) and ammonium ions (NH4+).

Step by step solution

01

Identify the reactants

The given reactants are ammonia (NH3) and water (H2O).
02

Determine the possible products

Ammonia is a weak base, and water can act as both an acid and a base. When ammonia and water react, they form hydroxide ions (OH-) and ammonium ions (NH4+).
03

Write the balanced chemical equation

By combining the reactants and products, we have the balanced chemical equation for the reaction: \[NH_{3(g)} + H_{2}O_{(l)} \rightleftharpoons NH_{4^{+}}_{(aq)} + OH^{-}_{(aq)}\]
04

Classify the reaction type

The reaction between ammonia and water is classified as a Brønsted-Lowry acid-base reaction. Specifically, ammonia works as a Brønsted-Lowry base that can gain a proton (H+), and water acts as a Brønsted-Lowry acid which donates a proton (H+) to form hydroxide ions (OH-) and ammonium ions (NH4+).

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free