Ammonia
NH₃
17.03 g·mol⁻¹⚡ Polartrigonal pyramidal
Ammonia (NH₃) is a trigonal‑pyramidal, polar molecule with a lone pair on nitrogen that compresses the H–N–H angle to 107°.
Overview
Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula NH₃. It is a colourless gas with a pungent odour. The nitrogen atom carries one lone pair of electrons, which repels the N–H bonding pairs and reduces the bond angle from the ideal tetrahedral 109.5° to 107°. This asymmetric electron distribution gives ammonia a strong dipole moment, making it highly polar. Ammonia is widely used in fertiliser production and as a cleaning agent.
Properties
| IUPAC Name | Ammonia |
|---|---|
| Chemical Formula | NH₃ |
| Molar Mass | 17.031 g·mol⁻¹ |
| Molecular Geometry | trigonal pyramidal |
| Bond Angle | 107° |
| Polarity | Polar ⚡ |
| Category | Inorganic |
Geometry
trigonal pyramidal: Trigonal pyramidal — < 109.5° bond angle, one lone pair on the central atom.