Video Transcript
Which of the following chemicals
can be used to prepare nitrogen gas? (A) Ammonium nitrite and water. (B) Ammonium hydroxide and sodium
metal. (C) Ammonium chloride and sodium
nitrite. (D) Ammonium hydroxide and
water. Or (E) ammonium nitrite and sodium
chloride.
In this question, we want to find
out which of the chemical pairs listed in the question are used to prepare nitrogen
gas in the laboratory. Nitrogen is a well-known element on
the periodic table. It is also the most abundant
element in Earth’s atmosphere, making up about 78 percent. This element is colorless,
odorless, and unreactive as well. The unreactive nature of nitrogen
is due to the very strong triple bond between the two atoms of the diatomic
molecule.
Triple bonds are shorter and
stronger than double or single bonds. And because of the strength that
triple bonds possess, they will only break at high temperatures. Nitrogen can be prepared in the
laboratory by heating a mixture of ammonium chloride and sodium nitrite
solutions. The products of this reaction are
aqueous sodium chloride, water, and nitrogen gas. Thus, the chemicals that can be
used to prepare nitrogen gas are ammonium chloride and sodium nitrite, or answer
choice (C).
