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Chemistry Forums for Students => High School Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: INeedSerotonin on October 19, 2019, 02:38:22 PM

Title: How come this is an acid-base reaction?
Post by: INeedSerotonin on October 19, 2019, 02:38:22 PM

NH4Cl + NaNH2 -----> NaCl + 2NH3

Hello

I found this exercise that asked me what kind of reaction this was, and the answer is "acid-base". How can I know which one of these compounds is an acid or a base?

I know the Arrhenius theory, and the Brönsted's, and the Lewis', but I'm lost here. Any hints?

I think that NH4Cl is an acidic salt, because it comes from HCl + NH4OH, and I think that NaNH2 is a basic salt, because it comes from NaOH + amine. Is this why it is an acid-base reaction? Could I foresee that the products would be NaCl (it makes sense, because it is neutral) + NH3 (why?)?

Title: Re: How come this is an acid-base reaction?
Post by: AWK on October 19, 2019, 03:28:43 PM

Both compounds are ionic. Use Brönsted's theory

Title: Re: How come this is an acid-base reaction?
Post by: chenbeier on October 19, 2019, 03:31:46 PM

It is based on NH₄⁺ +NH₂^- => 2 NH₃
Similar to H₃O⁺ + OH^- => 2 H₂O

Title: Re: How come this is an acid-base reaction?
Post by: INeedSerotonin on October 19, 2019, 06:17:42 PM

Thank you, guys! So the strategy is to always simplify/cancel all spectator ions and see who is donating the proton (H+) to whom and who is donating electrons to whom?