Ammonia fountain
Encyclopedia
The ammonia fountain is a type of chemical demonstration. The experiment consists of introducing water
through an inlet to a container filled with ammonia
gas . Ammonia dissolves into the water and the pressure in the container drops. As a result more water is forced into the container from another inlet creating a fountain
effect. The demonstration introduces concepts like solubility
and the gas laws at entry level.
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
through an inlet to a container filled with ammonia
Ammonia
Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . It is a colourless gas with a characteristic pungent odour. Ammonia contributes significantly to the nutritional needs of terrestrial organisms by serving as a precursor to food and fertilizers. Ammonia, either directly or...
gas . Ammonia dissolves into the water and the pressure in the container drops. As a result more water is forced into the container from another inlet creating a fountain
Fountain
A fountain is a piece of architecture which pours water into a basin or jets it into the air either to supply drinking water or for decorative or dramatic effect....
effect. The demonstration introduces concepts like solubility
Solubility
Solubility is the property of a solid, liquid, or gaseous chemical substance called solute to dissolve in a solid, liquid, or gaseous solvent to form a homogeneous solution of the solute in the solvent. The solubility of a substance fundamentally depends on the used solvent as well as on...
and the gas laws at entry level.