======Thermal Decomposition of Ammonium Chloride======


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**Alternative titles:** Sublimation of Ammonium Chloride
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====Summary====                   
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====Procedure====  
  - Place a small amount of solid ammonium chloride in a china dish.  
  - Cover the dish with an inverted funnel, ensuring the stem points upward.  
  - Plug the funnel’s stem loosely with cotton wool to prevent rapid escape of vapors.  
  - Heat the china dish gently using a burner or hot plate.  
  - Observe white ammonium chloride vapors rising and redepositing as solid crystals on the cooler parts of the funnel.



====Links==== 
SUBLIMATION of Ammonium chloride (NH₄Cl) - Basic Practical CHEMISTRY | Separation of Mixture - 
Science Sir: 
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Demonstrate Sublimation using ammonium chloride | 9th chemistry practical - Chemistry Plus: 
{{youtube>jcvaceQHgRI?}}\\

📄 Thermal Decomposition of NH4C - Embibe: [[https://www.embibe.com/lab-experiments/thermal-decomposition-of-nh4cl/]]\\

====Variations====
  * Use a test tube with ammonium chloride and heat the bottom, observing crystals forming at the cooler upper end.  
  * Compare the sublimation of ammonium chloride with iodine or naphthalene.  
  * Perform time-lapse photography to capture the deposition process.



====Safety Precautions====
  * Wear safety goggles, gloves, and a lab coat.  
  * Perform the experiment in a well-ventilated area or fume hood; ammonium chloride vapors can be irritating.  
  * Avoid inhaling fumes and skin contact with the solid.  
  * Dispose of ammonium chloride residue safely according to laboratory waste guidelines.




====Questions to Consider====
  * Why is heating ammonium chloride an example of sublimation? (It transitions directly from solid to gas without passing through the liquid phase.)  
  * Why do crystals form on the funnel? (The vapors cool and redeposit as solid ammonium chloride.)  
  * How does sublimation differ from evaporation? (Evaporation involves liquid to gas, while sublimation is solid to gas.)  
  * What other substances commonly show sublimation under laboratory conditions? (Iodine, dry ice, naphthalene.)