CAIE A Level Chemistry 9701 · Nitrogen and sulfur

Nitrogen and sulfur: compare question

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Nitrogen, $\ce{N2}$ , is an element and ammonia, $\ce{NH3}$ , is one of its compounds. They behave very differently.

(a) Nitrogen is unreactive at room temperature, whereas ammonia is readily attacked by acids and dissolves in water. Explain this difference in reactivity in terms of the bonding in the two molecules.

(b) Ammonia gas can be displaced from ammonium chloride by heating with sodium hydroxide. Write an equation for this reaction and explain, in terms of acid–base behaviour, why ammonia is displaced.

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Nitrogen and sulfur: compare question

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