Question

What happens if you add 1/4 cup of liquid ammonia to one cup of distilled water?

Answer 1

As ammonia dissolves in water, it reacts with water to form ammonium ions (NH4+) and hydroxide ions (OH-):

NH3 + H2O ------> NH4+ + OH-

Therefore, the hydroxyl ions lend the properties of a base to aqueous ammonia solution, meaning that added to water, the ammonia gas acts as a base. A base is any substance with a pH of more than 7. We can also say that a base is any substance (aqueous) that can accept protons. This solution would therefore react with an acidic solution to form a salt and water. This process is known as 'neutralization'.