Question

State your observation, water is added to the product formed, when aluminium is burnt in a jar of nitrogen gas.

Answer 1

• When aluminium is burnt in a jar of nitrogen gas, it forms aluminium nitride.

Chemical reaction:

$\underset{\mathrm{Aluminium}}{2\mathrm{Al}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Nitrogen}}{{\mathrm{N}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}\stackrel{∆}{\to }\underset{\mathrm{Aluminium}\mathrm{nitride}}{2\mathrm{AlN}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}$

• When water is added to the product $\left(\mathrm{AlN}\right)$ formed, a pungent-smelling gas $\left({\mathrm{NH}}_3\right)$ is liberated.

Chemical equation :

$\underset{\mathrm{Aluminium}\mathrm{nitride}}{\mathrm{AlN}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Water}}{3{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)}\to \underset{\mathrm{Aluminium}\mathrm{hydroxide}}{\mathrm{Al}{\left(\mathrm{OH}\right)}_3\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Ammonia}}{{\mathrm{NH}}_3\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}$

Therefore, water is added to the product formed, when aluminium is burnt in a jar of nitrogen gas, a pungent-smelling gas $\mathbf{\left(}{\mathbf{NH}}_{\mathbf{3}}\mathbf{\right)}$ is liberated.