7 Facts on NH3 + H2O: With Several Elements Reaction

NH3 is the chemical formula of ammonia and H2O is the chemical formula of water. NH3 + H2O is the hydrolysis reaction within ammonia and water.

Ammonia is the naturally occurring compound or it can make artificially in laboratories. It is a transparent gas with no colour and have strong pungent odour. The gaseous ammonia can miscible with water and being liquid ammonia, even liquid ammonia can evaporate into gas when open in air. Here, we are discussing about NH3 + H2O reaction and its facts.

Ammonia molecule is composed of two elements one central nitrogen atom and three hydrogen atoms bonded to it with a single N-H covalent bonds. Ammonia is used in various household and industrial process, it is also used as refrigerant and fertilizers in agriculture industry. It is the basic source of nitrogen for various plants and trees.

NH3 1
Ammonia (NH3) structure

What happens when NH3 reacts with H2O?

When ammonia molecule gets dissolved in water there is the conversion of gaseous ammonia into aqueous liquid ammonia. Also when liquid ammonia get further dissolved in water it can form aqueous ammonium hydroxide, which get further ionizes into aqueous ammonium ion and aqueous hydroxide ion.

Ammonia gas is readily miscible with water. It’s quite high solubility in water is endorsed the hydrogen bonds formed between water and ammonia molecules. When ammonia gets dissolved in water a basic product is formed. If a little amount of ammonia is added to water, it will form ammonium hydroxide which get further dissociates into ammonium (NH4+) ion and hydroxide ion (OH-).

NH3 (g) ⇔ NH3 (aq)

NH3 (aq) + H2O (l) ⇔ NH4OH (aq)

NH4OH (aq) ⇔ NH4(aq) + OH(aq)

What kind of reaction is NH3 + H2O?

Reaction of water with any chemical compound is the hydrolysis reaction. When any substance of molecule or chemical compound get added to water, if it get miscible then it form hydrogen bonding with water molecule. Hydrogen bond is a weak bond which can breaks easily and forms H+ and OH- ions.

Also in this reaction there are more reactants but the product is only one. Means there are two reactants i.e. ammonia (NH3) and water (H2O) but the product is only one i.e. ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH). Hence, this reaction can also be considered as synthesis reaction or chemical combination reaction, because there are many reactants but only one product in the reaction.

How to balance NH3 + H2O?

To balance any chemical equation we have to follow some steps. To balance NH3 + H2O = NH4OH equation let we use the algebraic method.

Step – 1 Do label to every molecule of NH3 + H2O reaction with some variables

First we have to label every compound of NH3 + H2O reaction with some variable like A, B, C, etc. Label all the reactants i.e. NH3 and H2O and product i.e. NH4OH of the equation with A, B C variables to denote unknown coefficients.

(A) NH3 + (B) H2O = (C) NH4OH

Step – 2 Make a system or pattern of equations

Just make the equation of each elements or atoms available in the NH3 + H2O reaction like nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen atoms (N, H, O) in that every term or symbol denoted the number of atoms or elements present in all reactants and products.

N =1A+0B=1C

H =3A+2B=5C

O =0A+1B=1C

Step – 3 Solve or calculate all the variables using some equations

Solve or calculate every variable by using some possible techniques or methods like graphing calculator or Gauss elimination to resolve each variable like N, H and O

  • 1. By using Gauss elimination or substitution method

1A–1C=0

3A+2B–5C=0

1B–1C=0

  • 2. By using calculator or graphing calculator method

Here, use the Rref() function in the calculator to convert the following matrix into minimized low-level-form:

(1         0         -1         0)

(3         2         -5         0)

(3         1         -1         0)

(1         1         -1         5)

In the subsequent medium the last column should contain answers for all of the coefficients of the reaction NH3 + H2O.

Thus the outcomes show with the low or whole integer standards of the variable or compounds of NH3 + H2O reaction.

A = 1(NH3)

B = 1(H2O)

C = 1(NH4OH)

Step – 4 In the last step, add the coefficients and confirm the results of the NH3 + H2O reaction.

1NH3 + 1H2O = 1NH4OH

Atoms       LHS          RHS

N                  1                1

H                  5                 5

O                  1                 1

(Where, LHS = left hand side, RHS = right hand side)

Therefore, there is the similar number of all atoms (N, H and O) is available in the reactants and products of the equation NH3 + H2O = NH4OH, thus the equation is balanced.

What type of reaction is NH3 and H2O?

When ammonia reacts with water, NH3 increases the concentration of hydroxide (OH-) ions in the solution. Ammonia is not completely dissolved into water. Most of the NH3 molecules present as it in the solution. Thus it creates less OH- ions by reacting with water.

In NH3 + H2O reaction, NH3 behaves as a bronstead acid and H2O behaves as an base. Ammonia is an H+ ion acceptor thus behaves as an bronstead acid and water is H+ ion donor so behaves as a bronstead base. Hence ammonia is a weak acid so it does not completely dissociates in water.

NH3 + H2O net ionic equation?

Net ionic equation of NH3 + H2O reaction is shown as follows:

NH3 (aq) + H2O (l) NH4++ OH (aq)

Here, ammonia (NH3) completely not dissociates in water, thus it creates very less OH- ions in the solution and most of the NH3 molecules are remain in that solution.

NH3 and H2O intermolecular forces

NH3 – In NH3 molecule, the central N atom belongs to the family of three elements which can form hydrogen bonds when it directly attached to H atom. Thus it has strong intermolecular forces within ammonia and water molecules as they can form hydrogen bonds. Hence, both ammonia and water are having higher boiling points.

nh3 + h2o
Hydrogen bond and strong intermolecular forces between ammonia and water

How to Balance Zn+NO3+OH=ZnO2+NH3+H2O?

Step – 1 Write the unbalanced or skeleton equation and for good results reaction should be in ionic form 

NO3 + Zn + OH → NH3 + ZnO22- + H2O

Step – 2 Separate the half reactions. In redox reaction, make both oxidation and reduction reaction separate.

  • Denote oxidation number of every atom in the equation.

  N+5O-23 + Zn0 + O-2H+1 → N-3H+13 + Zn+2O-222- + H+12O-2

  • Recognize and write all the redox reaction pairs in the reaction, means determine which is oxidized and which reduced reaction is. Also write electron transfer and also make equal number of oxidised and reduced atoms of both LHS and RHS sides of redox reactions by putting some coefficients if necessary.

Oxidation: Zn0 → Zn+2O-222- + 2e                            (Zn)

Reduction: N+5O-23 + 8e → N-3H+13                       (N)

  • The redox reaction should get combine into two half reactions: One  oxidation and another reduction

Oxidation: Zn0 → Zn+2O-222- + 2e

Reduction:N+5O-23 + 8e → N-3H+13

Step – 3 Balance all the elements of every half reaction

  • Except hydrogen and oxygen balance all other atoms present in the reaction.

Oxidation: Zn0 → Zn+2O-222- + 2e

Reduction: N+5O-23 + 8e → N-3H+13

  • Balance the charge present on LHS and RHS of reaction.

Oxidation: Zn0 + 4OH → Zn+2O-222- + 2e

Reduction: N+5O-23 + 8e → N-3H+13 + 9OH

  • Balance all the oxygen atoms present on LHS and RHS of the equation.

Oxidation: Zn0 + 4OH → Zn+2O-222- + 2e + 2H2O

Reduction: N+5O-23 + 8e + 6H2O → N-3H+13 + 9OH

Step – 4 Make equal electron gain and loss in oxidation half reaction and reduction half reaction. Multiply coefficients of all molecules with the integers causing the lowest common multiple within half reactions to make them both equal.

Oxidation: Zn0 + 4OH → Zn+2O-222- + 2e + 2H2O | x 4

Reduction: N+5O-23 + 8e + 6H2O → N-3H+13 + 9OH | x 1

Thus we get,

Oxidation: 4Zn0 + 16OH → 4Zn+2O-222- + 8e + 8H2O

Reduction:N+5O-23 + 8e + 6H2O → N-3H+13 + 9OH

Step – 5 Combine or ad the both half reactions together.

 4Zn0 + N+5O-23 + 16OH + 8e + 6H2O → 4Zn+2O-222- + N-3H+13 + 8e + 9OH + 8H2O


Step – 6 Make the equation simple by cancelling the common things on both the side of the equation and write the equation so the coefficients with possible small integers.

4Zn0 + N+5O-23 + 7OH → 4Zn+2O-222- + N-3H+13 + 2H2O

 At last check whether the equation is balanced or not

Atoms           LHS           RHS

Zn                   4                   4

N                     1                   1

O                     1×3+7×1       4×2+2×1

H                     7×1               1×3+2×2

Check the sum of charges present on both side of equation that it is equal or not.

4×0 + 1x-1 + 7x-1 = 4x-2 + 1×0 + 2×0
-8 = -8

As all the atoms and charges are equal on both sides, thus the equation is balanced.

NO3 + 4Zn + 7OH → NH3 + 4ZnO22- + 2H2O

How to Balance CH3CHO+AgNO3+NH3+H2O?

Step – 1 Do label to every molecule of CH3CHO+AgNO3+NH3+H2O reaction with some variables

First we have to label every compound of the reaction with some variable like A, B, C, etc. Label all the reactants and product of the equation with A, B C variables to denote unknown coefficients.

A CH3CHO + B AgNO3 + C NH3 + D H2O = F CH3COONH4 + G NH4NO3 + H Ag

Step – 2 Make a system or pattern of equations

Just make the equation of each elements or atoms available in the reaction like C, N, H, O, Ag, NO in that every term or symbol denoted the number of atoms or elements present in all reactants and products.

C = 2A+0B +0C+0D=2F+0G+0H

N = 0A+0B+1C+0D=1F+1G+0H

H = 4A+0B+3C+2D=7F+4G+0H

O = 1A+0B+0C+1D=2F+0G+0H

Ag = 0A+1B+0C+0D=0F+0G+1H

NO = 0A+3B+0C+0D=0F+3G+0H

Step – 3 Solve or calculate all the variables using some equations

Solve or calculate every variable by using some possible techniques or methods like graphing calculator or Gauss elimination to resolve each variable like C, N, H, O, Ag, NO.

  • 1. By using Gauss elimination or substitution method

2A–2F=0

1C-1F-1G=0

4A+3B+22D-7F-4G=0

1A+1D-2F=0

1B-1H=0

3B-3G=0

  • 2. By using calculator or graphing calculator method

Here, use the Rref() function in the calculator to convert the following matrix into minimized low-level-form:

(2         0         0         0         -2         0         0         0)

(0         0         1         0         -1         -1         0         0)

(4         0         3         2         -7         -4         0         0)

(1         0         0         1         -2         0         0         0)

(0         1         0         0         0         0         -1         0)

(1         1         1         1         -1         -1         -1         7)

(0         3         0         0         0         -3         0         0)

In the subsequent medium the last column should contain answers for all of the coefficients of the reaction..

Thus the outcomes show with the low or whole integer standards of the variable or compounds of NH3 + H2O reaction.

A = 1 (CH3CHO)

B = 2 (AgNO3)

C = 3 (NH3)

D = 1 (H2O)

F = 1 (CH3COONH4)

G = 2 (NH4NO3)

H = 2 (Ag)

Step – 4 In the last step, add the coefficients and confirm the results of the reaction.

CH3CHO + 2AgNO3 + 3NH3 + H2O = CH3COONH4 + 2NH4NO3 + 2Ag

Atoms       LHS          RHS

C                    2              2

N                  3              3

H                  15           15

O                  2               2

Ag                   2                 2

NO                  6                 6

(Where, LHS = left hand side, RHS = right hand side)

Therefore, there is the similar number of all atoms (C, N, H, O, Ag, NO) is available in the reactants and products of the equation CH3CHO + 2AgNO3 + 3NH3 + H2O = CH3COONH4 + 2NH4NO3 + 2Ag, thus the equation is balanced.

Conclusion:

NH3 + H2O is the hydrolysis reaction in which ammonia molecule reacts with water and the NH3 behaves as bronstead acid and H2O behaves as bronstead base. When ammonia dissolves in H2O it forms a hydrogen bond due to which it has strong intermolecular forces. Here we successfully balanced the NH3 + H2O reaction.