What Is The Balanced Chemical Equation That Describes The Reaction ...

What is the balanced chemical equation that describes the reaction between ammonia and hydrochloric acid? Chemistry Chemical Reactions Chemical Reactions and Equations

1 Answer

Stefan V. Mar 9, 2017

#"NH"_ (3(aq)) + "HCl"_ ((aq)) -> "NH"_ 4"Cl"_ ((aq))#

Explanation:

Ammonia and hydrochloric acid will react to form aqueous ammonium chloride, #"NH"_4"Cl"#, as described by the balanced chemical equation

#"NH"_ (3(aq)) + "HCl"_ ((aq)) -> "NH"_ 4"Cl"_ ((aq))#

Now, hydrochloric acid is a strong acid, which means that it dissociates completely in aqueous solution to release hydrogen ions, #"H"^(+)#, and produce chloride anions, #"Cl"^(-)#

#"HCl"_ ((aq)) -> "H"_ ((aq))^(+) + "Cl" _((aq))^(-)#

Ammonium chloride is a soluble ionic compound, so it too will exist as ions in solution.

This means that the complete ionic equation that describes this reaction can be written like this

#"NH"_ (3(aq)) + "H"_ ((aq))^(+) + "Cl" _ ((aq))^(-) -> "NH"_ (4(aq))^(+) + "Cl"_ ((aq))^(-)#

To get the net ionic equation, you must remove the spectator ions, i.e. the ions present on both sides of the equation

#"NH"_ (3(aq)) + "H"_ ((aq))^(+) + color(red)(cancel(color(black)("Cl" _ ((aq))^(-)))) -> "NH"_ (4(aq))^(+) + color(red)(cancel(color(black)("Cl" _ ((aq))^(-))))#

You will end up with

#"NH"_ (3(aq)) + "H"_ ((aq))^(+) -> "NH"_ (4(aq))^(+)#

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