When ammonium chloride and water interact, less energy is released from breaking the bonds in the water and ammonium chloride than what is required to form the bonds of the new substance.

Question

What is happening in the reaction?

An endothermic reaction is occurring.
An exothermic reaction is occurring.
Energy is being released into the surroundings.
Energy escapes as light into the surroundings.

Answer 1

When ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) dissolves in water, the process absorbs heat from the surroundings, leading to a decrease in temperature. This indicates that the energy required to break the ionic bonds in ammonium chloride and the hydrogen bonds in water exceeds the energy released when new interactions are formed.

Since the reaction absorbs energy and results in a temperature drop in the environment, it is classified as an endothermic reaction.

Therefore, the correct statement is: An endothermic reaction is occurring.