At high temperatures, ammonium nitrate decomposes into water vapor and nitrous oxide. One molecule of ammonium nitrate produces two molecules of water and one molecule of nitrous oxide. Ball-and-stick models of nitrous oxide and water molecules are shown.

Question

Water molecule Nitrous oxide

Given that mass is conserved in chemical reactions, how many hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen atoms are there in a molecule of ammonium nitrate? Move numbers to their correct places in the table.

Ammonium Nitrate Molecule

Number of Hydrogen Atoms blank
Number of Oxygen Atoms blank
Number of Nitrogen Atoms blank

1,2,3,4 & 5

Answer 1

To determine the number of hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen atoms in a molecule of ammonium nitrate (\(NH_4NO_3\)), we can examine its molecular formula.

The molecular formula for ammonium nitrate is \(NH_4NO_3\), which consists of:

• 1 nitrogen atom from the ammonium ion (\(NH_4^+\))
• 1 nitrogen atom from the nitrate ion (\(NO_3^-\))
• 4 hydrogen atoms from the ammonium ion
• 3 oxygen atoms from the nitrate ion

Now we can summarize the number of each type of atom:

• Number of Hydrogen Atoms: 4
• Number of Nitrogen Atoms: 2
• Number of Oxygen Atoms: 3

Here’s how to fill in your table:

Ammonium Nitrate Molecule

• Number of Hydrogen Atoms: 4
• Number of Oxygen Atoms: 3
• Number of Nitrogen Atoms: 2

So to fill out the table:

• Number of Hydrogen Atoms: 4
• Number of Oxygen Atoms: 3
• Number of Nitrogen Atoms: 2