Question

Name the products formed when ammonium nitrate is heated.

Answer 1

Hint: A chemical reaction is a change that any substance goes through by breaking its chemical bonds and forming new bonds to form products. The heating of any substance is a result of its reaction with atmospheric oxygen. Ammonium nitrate contains ammonium cation and nitrate group as anion.

Complete answer:
The heating of any compound results in its reaction with the atmospheric oxygen. The compounds thus heated, yield products that contain oxygen in them. We have been given to name the products formed by the heating of ammonium nitrate.
Ammonium nitrate is an ionic compound that consists of ammonium and nitrate as cation and anion respectively. The chemical formula of ammonium nitrate is $N{H}_{4}N{O}_3$. This ammonium nitrate when heated gives products named as nitrous oxide and water. The reaction is:
$N{H}_{4}N{O}_3\stackrel{\mathrm{\Delta }}{\to }{N}_{2}O+2H_{2}O$
$N_{2}O$ is nitrous oxide which is a gas, commonly called laughing gas while the other product is water.
Hence, the products formed when ammonium nitrate is heated are nitrous oxide and water.

Additional information:
Nitrous oxide is a gas that is inflammable and colorless at room temperature. It is called laughing gas as it enables a person, the feeling of relaxation and calmness that often leads to them laughing and giggling, therefore laughing gas.

Note:
Compounds that consist of transfer of valence electrons in the atoms are termed as ionic compounds as they have ionic bonds. Ammonium nitrate is therefore an ionic compound. The positive ion is ammonium that is the cation, while the negative is nitrate called anion. It is highly soluble in water.