Question

Given the dissociation equation for ammonia, would you predict ammonia is a good conductor of electricity? Explain in terms of ions present in solution and level of dissociation.

Answer 1

Ammonia can conduct electricity to some extent due to the presence of ammonium and hydroxide ions in solution, but its conductivity is relatively low due to its weak dissociation as it is a weak base.

Step-by-step explanation:

Based on the dissociation equation for ammonia (NH3) in water, NH3 reacts with water (H2O) to form ammonium ions (NH4+) and hydroxide ions (OH-).

NH3 + H2O ⇆ NH4+ + OH-

The ammonium ions (NH4+) and hydroxide ions (OH-) are present in the solution and are free to move and carry an electric charge. Therefore, the conductivity of ammonia in solution is relatively high.

However, the level of dissociation of ammonia in water is relatively low compared to strong acids or bases. This is because ammonia is a weak base and does not fully ionize in water. Therefore, the electrical conductivity of an ammonia solution is not as high as that of a strong acid or base.

In summary, ammonia can conduct electricity to some extent due to the presence of ammonium and hydroxide ions in solution, but its conductivity is relatively low due to its weak dissociation.

Answer 2

Answer:Given the dissociation equation for ammonia (NH3 ⇌ NH4+ + OH-), we can predict that ammonia is a poor conductor of electricity. This is because the level of dissociation in ammonia is relatively low, resulting in a low concentration of ions in the solution.

In the dissociation equation, ammonia (NH3) can dissociate into a positively charged ammonium ion (NH4+) and a negatively charged hydroxide ion (OH-). However, the extent of this dissociation is limited. Ammonia molecules tend to stay intact rather than dissociating into ions.

As a result, the concentration of ions in an ammonia solution is relatively low, making it a poor conductor of electricity. For effective electrical conduction, a higher concentration of ions is needed. In comparison to solutions with higher levels of dissociation, such as saltwater or acids, ammonia does not provide enough ions to facilitate the flow of electrical current.

In summary, due to its limited dissociation and low concentration of ions, ammonia is not a good conductor of electricity.

Step-by-step explanation: