Question

Write equations fro the following:
(i) Burning of ammonia in oxygen
(ii) Catalytic oxidation of ammonia
(iii) (a) Name the catalyst used in 1 (ii).
(b) In the reaction referred to in 1 (ii), the catalyst glows red hot. Why?
(c) What is the name of the industrial process which starts with the reaction referred to in 1 (ii)?

Answer 1

(i) $4{\mathrm{NH}}_3+3{\mathrm{O}}_2\to 6{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}+{\mathrm{N}}_2+\mathrm{Heat}$
(ii) $$\begin{gathered} 4{\mathrm{NH}}_3+5{\mathrm{O}}_2\underset{800°\mathrm{C}}{\overset{\mathrm{Platinum}\mathrm{catalyst}}{\to }}4\mathrm{NO}+6{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}+\mathrm{Heat} \\ 2\mathrm{NO}+{\mathrm{O}}_2\to 2{\mathrm{NO}}_2 \end{gathered}$$
(iii) (a) The catalyst used in the reaction 1(ii) is platinum.
(b) The reaction 1(ii) is exothermic. This causes the catalyst to glow red hot.
(c) The reaction 1(ii) is the starting step in the Ostwald process used for the manufacturing of nitric acid.