Education Journalist | Study Abroad Lead
Ammonia is an essential unit of many chemicals and products. Ammonia is a colourless gas with a distinct pungent odour that is naturally found in the environment as it is mixed in all air, water and soil. It can also be found in plants, animals as well as humans. A classification of ammonia, known as azane, is formed when hydrogen and nitrogen react with each other. The molecular formula of the same is NH₃ which is highly soluble in water. Also, it is discovered that ammonia is the second most manufactured substance in the world after sulphuric acid.
| Table of Contents |
Key words: Ammonia, Uses, Nitrogen, Solvent, Chemical Formula
Uses of Ammonia
[Click Here for Sample Questions]
Ammonia is known as the building-block chemical element as it is used in the manufacturing processes of daily use material. Some other common uses of ammonia are:
- Industries
- Agriculture
- Household Products
- Manufacturing
- Metal Treating
- Petroleum
Industries
Ammonia is used in several industries as a stabiliser, neutralizer, or as a source of nitrogen to carry out several functions. It is used in wastewater treatment, leather, rubber, paper, food and beverage industries. It is also used as cold storage or refrigeration systems and in the production of pharmaceuticals. It is also used in printing and fermentation.
Agriculture
Around 90% of ammonia produced is used in the agricultural field since it is a rich source of nitrogen that carries out several functions. It is used in fertilisers to sustain food production. Ammonia is also often used as an antifungal agent on certain fruits and as preservatives.
Household Products
Ammonia is one of the main ingredients in a lot of household cleaning products. It is used as a cleaning agent and can be used to remove stains or clean mirrors, tubs, sinks, windows and more.
| Important Concepts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ammonium Bicarbonate | Ammonium Chloride | Oxyacids and Ammonia |
Manufacturing
Ammonia is used in the manufacturing of a number of compounds like nitric acid, hydrogen cyanide, phenol, ammonium carbonate, urea and amino acids.
Metal Treating
Ammonia is used in operations like carbo nitriding, furnace brazing, sintering, bright annealing, atomic hydrogen welding and other operations.
Petroleum
In the petroleum industry, ammonia is utilised in counterbalancing the acid constituents of oil which is in crude form. It also helps to keep equipment free from corrosion. It is used in the mining industry too for extraction of several metals.
Properties of Ammonia
[Click Here for Sample Questions]
Following are the properties of ammonia:
- Ammonia is a colourless gas.
- It has a strong and pungent odour.
- Ammonia is represented as NH₃.
- Ammonia is soluble in water.
Do Check Out:
| Important Concepts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ammonium Nitrate | Solution | Homogenous equilibrium |
| Ammonium Nitrite Formula | Hydrides | Types of Titration |
| Zero order reaction | Half Life formula | Oxides of Nitrogen |
Things to Remember
[Click Here for Sample Questions]
- Ammonia is one of the most important components in many chemicals and products.
- Ammonia is a colourless and pungent smelling gas.
- Its molecular formula is NH3.
- Ammonia is used in 6 different areas- Industries, Agriculture, Household Products, Manufacturing, Metal Treating and Petroleum.
- Ammonia is soluble in water.
Previous Year Questions
- To dry ammonia gas the drying agent used is…? (COMEDK UGET 2009)
- Reaction of formaldehyde and ammonia gives…?
- Liquor ammonia is…?
- Glucose gives a silver mirror with ammoniacal silver nitrate because it has…?
- When ammonium chloride is added to ammonia solution, the pH of the resulting solution will be…?
- Excess of ammonia with sodium hypochlorite solution in the presence of glue or gelatin gives…?
- A solution of sodium metal in liquid ammonia is strongly reducing due to the presence of…? (JEE Advanced 1981)
- Upon treatment with ammoniacal H₂S, the metal ion that precipitates as a sulphide is…? (JEE Advanced 2013)
- Ammonia gas can be dried by…? (JEE Advanced 1978)
- Ammonia can be dried by…? (JEE Advanced 2000)
- A bottle of dry ammonia and a bottle of dry hydrogen chloride connected through a long tube are opened simultaneously at both ends…? (JEE Advanced 1988)
- Ammonia will not form complex with…? (KEAM)
- Liquor ammonia bottles are opened only after cooling. This is because…? (KCET 2006)
Sample Questions
Ques: What is ammonia? (2 marks)
Ans: Ammonia is a colourless gas with a very distinct odour. This odour is familiar to many people because ammonia is used in smelling salts, many household and industrial cleaners, and window-cleaning products. Thisgas can be dissolved in water which is called liquid ammonia or aqueous ammonia.
Ques: What are the main uses of ammonia? (2 marks)
Ans: Around 90% of ammonia produced by industries is used in the agriculture sector as fertiliser. It is also used as a refrigerant gas, for purification of water supplies and in the manufacturing of various chemicals, dyes, plastics and explosives.
Ques: Is ammonia harmful? (2 marks)
Ans: Due to its corrosive nature, ammonia can prove to be harmful based on its route of exposure, the concentration and duration of exposure. Exposure to high concentrations of ammonia can cause burning of nose, eyes and throat and could also lead to blindness or lung damage.
Ques: Where is ammonia found? (1 marks)
Ans: Ammonia is found in various places in the environment. It is found in air, soil and water samples at hazardous sites.
Ques: What is the other name of ammonia? Write the chemical formula too. (2 marks)
Ans: Ammonia is also known as azane, hydrogen nitride and nitrosil. The chemical formula of ammonia is NH₃.
Ques: Where is ammonia used? (5 marks)
Ans: Ammonia is known as the building-block chemical element as it is used in the manufacturing processes of daily use material.It is used for the following purposes:
- Industries
- Agriculture
- Household Products
- Manufacturing
- Metal Treating
- Petroleum
Ques: Is ammonia an acid or base? (2 marks)
Ans: Ammonia is a typical weak base. Ammonia itself obviously doesn't contain hydroxide ions, but it reacts with water to produce ammonium ions and hydroxide ions. The pH of ammonia lies between 11-13 which represents the class of weak bases.
Ques: Is ammonia flammable? (2 marks)
Ans: Yes, ammonia is flammable. It is corrosive in nature and cause severe burning in eyes or damage to lungs if exposed to it for long duration.
Also check:
Comments