Question

Ammonium chloride and are used in the laboratory preparation of nitrogen.

• A. sodium chloride
• B. sodium nitrite
• C. sodium nitrate

Answer 1

The correct option is B sodium nitrite

In the laboratory, a mixture of ammonium chloride and sodium nitrite is heated to prepare nitrogen gas. This on heating produce ammonium nitrite. The reaction involved is:

$N{H}_{4}Cl\left(aq\right)+NaN{O}_2\left(aq\right)\to N{H}_{4}N{O}_2\left(aq\right)+NaCl\left(aq\right)$

Ammonium nitrite is highly unstable and it decomposes to produce nitrogen. The reaction involved is:

$N{H}_{4}N{O}_2\left(aq\right)\to N_2\left(g\right)+2H_{2}O\left(l\right)$