Question

Explain, why all Ammonium salts, on heating do not decompose to give Ammonia?

Answer 1

Preparation of Ammonia:

General method: Generally Ammonia gas is obtained by treating Ammonium salt with Calcium hydroxide.

Decomposition of Ammonium nitrate:

Some compounds of Ammonia like Ammonium nitrate$\left({\mathrm{NH}}_4{\mathrm{NO}}_3\right)$ and ammonium nitrite $\left({\mathrm{NH}}_4{\mathrm{NO}}_2\right)$ which on warming with alkali like Sodium hydroxide $\left(\mathrm{NaOH}\right)$ do not produce Ammonia, because these compounds are highly unstable and decompose by heating only.

${\mathrm{NH}}_4{\mathrm{NO}}_3\left(\mathrm{s}\right)\stackrel{∆}{\to }$${\mathrm{N}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{g}\right)+2{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)$

Ammonium Nitrous water

nitrate oxide

Explosive: Ammonium nitrate is a salt formed from Nitric acid and Ammonia and it is used as a explosive.

So all ammonium salts on heating do not decompose to give Ammonia as they are explosive in nature.