What is the balanced equation and product produced for the following NH3 + NaOH

Question

What is the balanced equation and product produced for the following NH3 + NaOH
I got the following and was wondering if it’s correct or incorrect? If incorrect can you see where I went wrong and explain why?
NH3 + NaOH -> 3H2O + Na3N What is the balanced equation and product produced for the following NH3 + NaOH
I got the following and was wondering if it’s correct or incorrect? If incorrect can you see where I went wrong and explain why?
NH3 + NaOH -> 3H2O + Na3N
I got the following and was wondering if it’s correct or incorrect? If incorrect can you see where I went wrong and explain why?
NH3 + NaOH -> 3H2O + Na3N

Explanation / Answer

Ans. Follow the steps:

I. NaOH is a strong base. It acts as base when dissolved in water. That is, if there is no H2O, NaOH won’t act as a base because it can’t donate its OH- to a suitable acceptor (a H2O molecule).

II. NaOH acts as base by donating its OH- to H2O as follow-

            NaOH + H2O -------> Na+(aq) + OH-                    - reaction 1.

III. NH3 is also a base in an aqueous solution because it can accept a H+ from H2O.

            NH3 + H2O <---------> NH4+ + OH-                     - reaction 2

Reaction 2 represents the formation of ammonia buffer when NH3 is dissolved in water.

IV. However, note that NH3 is a much weaker base than NaOH. When two bases are present in an aqueous solution, the weaker base can’t act as base. So, following Le Chatelier’s principle, the presence of OH- from NaOH drives the reaction 2 in backward direction as follow-

            NH4+ + OH- <-------> NH3 + H2O                         - reaction 3

V. The overall reaction between NaOH and NH3 (in aqueous medium) can be written as the sum of reaction 1 and 3 as follow-

            NaOH(aq) + NH4+(aq) <--------> NH3(aq) + Na+(aq) + H2O(l)      - Rxn 4

The overall reaction is the represents the addition of small amount of NaOH to an ammonia buffer solution.

# NH3 + NaOH ---------> NaNH2 + H2O                          - reaction 5

# NH3 + 3 NaOH ---------> Na3N + 3H2O                       - reaction 6

Both reaction 5 and 6 indicates that NaOH acts as a base by donating its OH-, while NH3 acts as an acid by donating one or more H+. There are two erroneous conditions with these reactions-

A. NaOH acts as base only in aqueous medium. If water is present as the medium then

Reaction 4 is most suited as explained above.

B. NH3 is a Lewis base. NH3 does not act as an acid but NH4+ does.

Conclusion: Reaction 4 is the most appropriate reaction between NH3 and NaOH in an aqueous medium. Reactions 5 and 6 shall not be preferred unless specific instructions are provided to proceed in those ways.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse W
• Subjects

---

---

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.