Question

How many atoms are there in a single molecule of ammonia?

Answer 1

Hint: Atoms are defined as the smallest unit which combines to form compounds. Ammonia is the chemical compound formed by combining hydrogen and nitrogen (Haber process) under high pressure. The chemical formula of ammonia is $N{H_3}$

Complete answer:
The ammonia is a chemical compound with chemical formula or molecular formula $N{H_3}$. The ammonia is a colorless gas with pungent odor. The ammonia is generally composed of two types of chemical element one is hydrogen and other is nitrogen. The ammonia is usually used as a weak base as it combines with many acids to form salt.
The ammonia is prepared in the laboratory by heating ammonium chloride with a strong base like sodium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide.
The preparation of ammonia is shown below.
$2N{H_4}Cl + Ca{(OH)_2} \to CaC{l_2} + 2{H_2}O + 2N{H_3}(g)$
In this reaction, two mole of ammonium chloride is reacted with one mole of calcium hydroxide to form one mole of calcium chloride, two mole of water and two mole of ammonia.
The principle method used for the preparation of ammonia is Haber's process where the nitrogen atom and the hydrogen atom are directly combined under high pressure in presence of catalyst.
By the formula of ammonia $N{H_3}$itself, we can say that one nitrogen atom is present and three hydrogen atoms are present.
So a single molecule of ammonia will contain one nitrogen atom and three hydrogen atoms.
Therefore, total 4 atoms are present in one molecule of ammonia.

Note: The ammonia in an aqueous form known as ammonium hydroxide. We should know that the ammonia on dissolving in water self-dissociation also known as autoionization where it forms a conjugate base $NH_2^ -$ and conjugate acid $NH_4^ +$.