How many bonds in #"ammonium hydroxide?"#

2 Answers
Dec 10, 2016

AS written in the formula there are six......

Explanation:

#NH_4OH# has 5 sigma bonds, #4xxN-H+1xxO-H#, and an ionic bond between #NH_4^+# and #HO^-#. Nevertheless, there is really no such thing as #"ammonium hydroxide"#. In water, #"ammonia"# is solvated by several water molecules, and ammonia behaves as a base in water:

#NH_3(aq) + H_2O(l) rightleftharpoonsNH_4^(+) + HO^-#

The equilibrium lies strongly to the left, but it does operate.

I would say there are 5 bonds.

Explanation:

There are 4 covalent bonds in the #sf(NH_4^+# ion and 1 covalent bond in #sf(OH^-)#.

#sf(NH_(4)OH)# does not exist as a discrete substance, you cannot isolate it .

It is best described as "aqueous ammonia" which is a system at equilibrium which you get by dissolving ammonia in water:

#sf(NH_(3)+H_2OrightleftharpoonsNH_4^(+)+OH^-)#

Since the #"pKa"# of ammonia is about #36#, but that of ammonium is about #9.4#, the equilibrium is pretty much completely towards ammonia (the weaker "acid").