This chemical reaction between ammonia (NH3) and oxygen (O2) is an oxidation-reduction (redox) reaction, where NH3 acts as a reducing agent and O2 acts as an oxidizing agent. The reaction can be represented in terms of electron transfer as follows:
4 N-III - 20 e- → 4 NII (oxidation)
10 O0 + 20 e- → 10 O-II (reduction)
Word equation:
ammonia + oxygen → nitric oxide + water.
This can also be represented in terms of chemical formulas as follows:
Input interpretation:
NH3 + O2 → NO + H2O
The balanced equation for the reaction can be obtained by adding stoichiometric coefficients to the reactants and products. To ensure that the equation is balanced, the number of atoms of each element on both sides of the equation must be equal for H, N, and O. The balanced equation for the reaction is:
4 NH3 + 5 O2 → 4 NO + 6 H2O
This equation shows that four molecules of ammonia react with five molecules of oxygen to produce four molecules of nitric oxide and six molecules of water.
Balanced equation:
To balance the equation algebraically, we can use the following steps:
Write the unbalanced equation for the reaction: NH3 + O2 → NO + H2O
Count the number of atoms of each element on both sides of the equation:
Reactants: N = 1, H = 3, O = 2
Products: N = 1, H = 2, O = 3
Balance the equation by adding coefficients to the reactants and products. Begin with the element that appears in the highest number of molecules on either side of the equation.
In this case, nitrogen (N) appears in one molecule of NH3 and one molecule of NO. To balance the nitrogen atoms, place a coefficient of 4 in front of NH3 and NO:
4 NH3 + O2 → 4 NO + H2O
4N (reactants) = 4N (products)
Check whether the other atoms are balanced. In this case, hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) are not yet balanced.
Hydrogen: 12H (reactants) ≠ 2H (products)
To balance hydrogen, place a coefficient of 6 in front of H2O:
4 NH3 + O2 → 4 NO + 6 H2O
12H (reactants) = 12H (products)
Oxygen: 2O (reactants) ≠ 10O (products)
To balance oxygen, place a coefficient of 5 in front of O2:
4 NH3 + 5 O2 → 4 NO + 6 H2O
2O (reactants) = 10O (products)
Check that the equation is balanced by counting the number of atoms of each element on both sides of the equation:
Reactants: N = 4, H = 12, O = 10
Products: N = 4, H = 12, O = 10
The balanced equation for the reaction is:
4 NH3 + 5 O2 → 4 NO + 6 H2O
Therefore, the chemical equation of NH3 is:
4 NH3 + 5 O2 → 4 NO + 6 H2O