Ammonia, commonly found in household products such as window cleaners, is basic in nature. This is evidenced by its ability to turn red litmus paper blue, a classic test indicating a substance is a base
. Chemically, ammonia (NH₃) is a colorless gas with a pungent odor, composed of one nitrogen atom and three hydrogen atoms arranged in a trigonal pyramidal shape. This molecular structure gives ammonia a lone pair of electrons on the nitrogen atom, making it a proton acceptor and thus a weak base. When dissolved in water, ammonia forms ammonium ions (NH₄⁺) and hydroxide ions (OH⁻), which accounts for its basicity
. In summary:
- Ammonia is a weak base.
- It turns red litmus paper blue.
- It is commonly used in household cleaners due to its basic and cleaning properties.
- Its molecular structure and ability to accept protons underpin its basic nature.
This basicity makes ammonia effective in cleaning products, as it can neutralize acidic dirt and grease
