Question

Nitric acid, ${\mathrm{HNO}}_3$, can be produced by reacting high-pressure ammonia gas with oxygen gas at around 750 " in the presence of a platinum catalyst. Water is a by-product of the reaction. Write the unbalanced chemical equation for this process.

Short answer

The unbalanced chemical equation for the production of nitric acid (HNO₃) from ammonia gas (NH₃) and oxygen gas (O₂) with water (H₂O) as a by-product is: NH₃ + O₂ → HNO₃ + H₂O

Step-by-step solution

Write the reactants and products

Identify the reactants and products in the reaction: - Reactants: ammonia (NH₃) and oxygen gas (O₂) - Products: nitric acid (HNO₃) and water (H₂O)

Arrange the reactants and products

Arrange the reactants on the left-hand side of the equation and the products on the right-hand side, using the "+" sign to separate them: NH₃ + O₂ → HNO₃ + H₂O

Write the final unbalanced chemical equation

Combine the reactants and products in the equation: NH₃ + O₂ → HNO₃ + H₂O This is the unbalanced chemical equation for the production of nitric acid from ammonia and oxygen gas with water as a by-product.

Key concepts

Chemical Reactions

Understanding chemical reactions is fundamental in the study of chemistry. A chemical reaction is a process where substances, known as reactants, undergo a transformation to form new substances, called products. Let's break this concept down.

At the core of a chemical reaction is the rearrangement of atoms. During this rearrangement, bonds between atoms in the reactants are broken, and new bonds are formed to create the products. Chemical reactions are represented by chemical equations, which provide a symbolic representation of what occurs during the reaction. For instance, the reaction to produce nitric acid from high-pressure ammonia and oxygen gas is a practical example of a chemical process that takes place in the presence of a platinum catalyst.

It is essential to balance chemical equations because they must obey the Law of Conservation of Mass, which states that matter cannot be created or destroyed in an isolated system. Consequently, the number of each type of atom must be the same on both sides of a chemical equation. Through balancing, we can understand the precise ratios of reactants needed and the amount of product we can expect to form.

Reactants and Products

In every chemical equation, the substances that start the reaction are known as the 'reactants,' while the substances formed as a result of the reaction are called the 'products.' Understanding the role of reactants and products is crucial for grasping the concepts of chemical reactions.

Taking the production of nitric acid as an example, ammonia ($N{H}_3$) and oxygen gas ($O_2$ are the reactants, the substances we start with. Under correct conditions, they react to form new substances: nitric acid ($HN{O}_3$ and water ($H_{2}O$ are the products, the substances that are formed. When drafting the chemical equation, it begins with the reactants on the left, the arrow in the middle symbolizing the reaction, and then the products on the right. The process of writing a chemical equation initiates with identifying all reactants and products and then proceeds to balancing the equation, which is a critical step to accurately represent the reaction.

Catalysts in Chemistry

Catalysts are substances that speed up chemical reactions without being consumed in the process. They work by providing an alternative reaction pathway with a lower activation energy. This means that the reaction can proceed faster or under milder conditions than would be possible otherwise. Catalysts are not only pivotal in industrial processes but also in biological systems.

In the reaction to form nitric acid, a platinum catalyst is used. It functions to accelerate the reaction between ammonia and oxygen to form nitric acid and water without participating in the final chemical equation. Catalysts are essential for increasing the efficiency of chemical processes, often leading to significant cost savings and enhanced product yields. The role of a catalyst can be likened to a facilitator, which does not get altered in the course of the reaction, but its presence is instrumental in ensuring that the reaction occurs far more rapidly than it would without it.