Explain how the chemistry for the confirmation of ammonium ion in a reaction mixture is an acid-base reaction.
2007-03-23 15:56:53 · 2 answers · asked by ZG786 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
You may be thinking of Nessler's reagent. For more information see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nessler%27s_solution
The reaction is show below.
NH4+ + 2[HgI4]2− + 4OH− → HgO·Hg(NH2)I + 7I− + 3H2O
2007-03-23 16:40:50 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
According to the Bronsted and Lowry theory of acids and bases,
An acid is a proton donor whereas a base is a proton acceptor.
In the test for the ammonium ion, sodium hydroxide is added to the suspected ion and the mixture heated where upon ammonia gas is evolved (turns litmus blue)
In this reaction the ammonium ion donates a proton (i.e. it behaves as an acid) to the OH ion which is there behaving as a base.
(NH4)+ (aq) + OH- (aq) -----> NH3(g) + H2O (l)
therefore,in this respect, the reaction is an acid base reaction.
2007-03-24 00:05:55 · answer #2 · answered by brisko389 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋