JCE Online Journal of Chemical Education
 | Subscriptions  | Software Orders  | Support  | Contributors  | Advertisers  | 

JCE Print
   Current Issue
 Previous Issues
 Supplements
 Search JCE Index

JCE Digital Library
   DigiDemos
 QBank
 SymMath
 WebWare

JCE Software
   Latest Releases
 Software & Video
 Downloads
 Support

Only@JCE Online
   JCE Online Store
 JCE HS CLIC
 JCE Discussion Forums
   Biographical Snapshots
 ChemEd Resource Shelf
 Featured Molecules
 Hal's Picks
 Project Chemlab
 Reviewed WWW Sites
 "Web-Ed" Articles

About JCE
   Features
 Publications
 Operations
 Outreach
 Contact Us


  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 1999  > February  >
In the Classroom
Tested Demonstrations
The Ammonia Smoke Fountain: An Interesting Thermodynamic Adventure
submitted by: M. Dale Alexander
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003

checked by: Daniel T. Haworth
Department of Chemistry, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53201

Cover
February 1999
Vol. 76 No. 2
p. 210
Abstract
The ammonia smoke fountain demonstration utilizes a modification of the apparatus used in the standard ammonia fountain. The modification allows for the introduction of hydrogen chloride gas into a flask of ammonia rather than water. The demonstration is initiated in the same way as the ammonia fountain, however. A small amount of water is introduced into a flask containing ammonia, and the pressure decreases as in the ammonia fountain. This results in hydrogen chloride being drawn into the flask instead of water, and a familiar reaction occurs, the combination of ammonia and hydrogen chloride to form ammonium chloride smoke. The pressure drops owing to the conversion of ammonia gas to solid ammonium chloride by the reaction with hydrogen chloride, and more hydrogen chloride gas is drawn into the reaction flask. The flow rate of hydrogen chloride gas into the flask in the smoke fountain is not constant, but periodic; that is, the smoke puffs from the end of the tube. This unexpected behavior elicits an interesting thermodynamic explanation.
More Information
*  Citation
 Alexander, M. Dale. J. Chem. Educ. 1999 76 210.
*  Keywords
 Demonstrations; Physical Chemistry; AcidÐBase Chemistry; Gases; Thermodynamics
*  History
 Created:
Last Updated:		 June 15, 1999
June 22, 2005
<< Previous Article Table of Contents Next Article >>
  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 1999 > February > Page 210


Subscriptions
 Subscription Info
 Order Forms

JCE HS CLIC

Our Secondary School editors work hard to distill all the JCE materials to produce a fraction of particular interest to high school teachers. We call it CLIC.
 JCE HS CLIC

Contributions Welcome
JCE welcomes your submission
 Contributors' Corner

Advertisers
In recent years we have worked hard to better match our advertisers with our readers. When shopping for chemistry education materials, visit our advertisers' WWW sites first.
 Recent Advertisers

Be An Ambassador
Take JCE along on your outreach missions. Copies of the Journal, guest access to JCE Online, our publications catalog, and more are available for your participants.
 Outreach with JCE

Comments to
jceonline@chem.wisc.edu		 Copyright © Division of Chemical Education, Inc., American Chemical Society.
All rights reserved.