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Chemistry

How ammonium nitrate decomposes?

Ammonium nitrate NH4NO3 decomposes in an exothermic reaction and produce two gaseous products from solid reactant:
NH_{4}NO_{3} _{(solid)} \rightarrow N_{2}O_{(gas)} + 2H_{2}O_{(gas)}

Enthalpy change is \Delta H = - 36 kJmol^{-1}.
In the presence of carbon (as oxidisable fuel), ethalpy change increases to \Delta H = - 280 kJmol^{-1} as in the reaction below with more gaseous products:

2NH_{4}NO_{3} _{(solid)} + C \rightarrow 2N_{2} _{(gas)} + 4H_{2}O_{(gas)} +CO_{2} _{(gas)}

The decomposition temperature of pure NH4NO3 is 170 °C.

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