On 12/21/2013 08:34 PM, David Platt wrote:
William Sommerwerck wrote:
"josephkk" wrote in message

Well you are allowed to trot out all the low grade references you wish. Do
better fact checking and you will find out that ammonia is indeed a weak
acid. See also Lewis acid e. g. BF3 which has no hydrogen at all.

To call Wikipedia a low-grade reference is a cheap shot. As for fact-checking,
do some yourself.

http://www.chem.queensu.ca/people/fa...base/index.htm
http://www.uwec.edu/lewisd/Chem321-0...-Base/Acid.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/higher...ds/revision/1/
http://www.files.chem.vt.edu/chem-ed...ase/intro.html

These consistently identify ammonia (NH3) as a weak base, according to
the Bronsted-Lowry definition.

When NH3 reacts with water, the NH3 accepts a proton from the water
and generates the ammonium ion (NH4+, a weak acid), and the hydroxide
ion (OH-). The fact that NH3 accepts a proton in this reaction is
what defines it as a Bronsted-Lowry base.

According to

http://www.scienceforums.net/topic/4...mmonia-a-base/

NH3 is at least somewhat amphiprotic - in some reactions it can donate
a proton (acting as an acid) rather than accepting one.

According to

http://www.chem1.com/acad/webtext/abcon/abcon-6.html

"ammonia, is a weaker acid than H2O, so it exhibits basic properties
in water

NH3 + H2O †’ NH4+ + OH€“

but behaves as an acid in non-aqueous solvents such as liquid ammonia
itself:

NH3 + NH3 †’ NH4+ + NH2€“ "

and also says

"Ammonia is such a weak acid that its conjugate base, amide ion NH2€“,
cannot exist in water. In aqueous solution, NH3 acts as a weak base,
accepting a proton from water and leaving a OH€“ ion"

So, the answer to the question "Is ammonia a base or an acid" appears
to be "either or both, depending on the circumstances."

It's not an either/or sort of thing.


It's great for shining brass!