HCl(aq) + NH₃(aq) → NH₄Cl(aq)
Here's what happens:
* Hydrochloric acid (HCl) is a strong acid, meaning it completely ionizes in water to form hydrogen ions (H⁺) and chloride ions (Cl⁻).
* Ammonia (NH₃) is a weak base, meaning it only partially ionizes in water to form ammonium ions (NH₄⁺) and hydroxide ions (OH⁻).
When HCl and NH₃ react, the hydrogen ions from the acid react with the ammonia molecules to form ammonium ions (NH₄⁺). The chloride ions from the acid and the ammonium ions combine to form ammonium chloride (NH₄Cl), which remains dissolved in the solution.
The reaction is an acid-base neutralization reaction, where the acid and base react to form a salt (NH₄Cl) and water (H₂O). In this case, since ammonia is a weak base, the reaction doesn't produce a significant amount of water, but it does form the ammonium salt.
