Rate of NH3 loss for the ammonia - agar and the sample. Method 1.9

The samples (either NI3 adduct by itself or ammonia - agar gel without NI3) were left on a balance connected to a BBC Micro B computer. The computer was set to take readings from the balance every minute for the first hour, every 5 for the second hour, every 15 for the third hour and then every half hour for a maximum of 24 hours. The point at which there was no considerable amount of weight loss, would be the point at which the ammonia had fully evaporated from the sample.

1. Times for weight loss

The times for the weight losses of for the ammonia - agar then NI3 are set out below.

Time (mins) Weight (g) inc. holder Difference Weight of sample
0 11.7860 0.0000 4.3997
5 11.7384 0.0476 4.3521
10 11.7298 0.0562 4.3435
15 11.7213 0.0647 4.3350
20 11.7115 0.0745 4.3252
25 11.7015 0.0845 4.3152
30 11.6949 0.0911 4.3086
35 11.6892 0.0968 4.3029
40 11.6821 0.1039 4.2958
45 11.6755 0.1105 4.2892
50 11.6688 0.1172 4.2825
55 11.6612 0.1248 4.2749
60 11.6537 0.1323 4.2674
70 11.6302 0.1558 4.2439
80 11.6223 0.1637 4.2360
90 11.6093 0.1767 4.2230
100 11.5937 0.1923 4.2074
110 11.5817 0.2043 4.1954
120 11.5725 0.2135 4.1862
130 11.5602 0.2257 4.1740
140 11.5480 0.2380 4.1617
200 11.4798 0.3062 4.0935
215 11.4551 0.3309 4.0688
230 11.4380 0.3480 4.0517
245 11.3999 0.3861 4.0136
330 11.3427 0.4433 3.9564
420 11.2562 0.5298 3.8699
510 11.1532 0.6328 3.7669
1340 11.1199 0.6661 3.7336

Summary table for weight loss of ammonia from ammonia - agar sample.

Time Weight (g) Loss (g) Time Weight (g) Loss (g) Time Weight (g) Loss (g)
0 0.2773 0.0000 30 0.2577 0.0006 65 0.2437 0.0026
1 0.2770 0.0003 31 0.2572 0.0005 70 0.2415 0.0022
2 0.2761 0.0009 32 0.2566 0.0006 75 0.2377 0.0038
3 0.2752 0.0009 33 0.2560 0.0006 80 0.2341 0.0036
4 0.2743 0.0009 34 0.2554 0.0006 85 0.2300 0.0041
5 0.2736 0.0007 35 0.2548 0.0006 90 0.2247 0.0053
6 0.2728 0.0008 36 0.2542 0.0006 95 0.2198 0.0049
7 0.2720 0.0008 37 0.2538 0.0004 100 0.2020 0.0178
8 0.2713 0.0007 38 0.2531 0.0007 105 0.1875 0.0145
9 0.2694 0.0019 39 0.2527 0.0004 110 0.1401 0.0474
10 0.2698 -0.0004 40 0.2521 0.0006 115 0.1100 0.0301
11 0.2691 0.0007 41 0.2516 0.0005 120 0.0000 0.1100
12 0.2686 0.0005 42 0.2510 0.0006 135 0.0000 0.0000
13 0.2679 0.0007 43 0.2505 0.0005 150 0.0000 0.0000
14 0.2673 0.0006 44 0.2500 0.0005
15 0.2666 0.0007 45 0.2493 0.0007
16 0.2659 0.0007 46 0.2488 0.0005
17 0.2653 0.0006 47 0.2484 0.0004
18 0.2647 0.0006 48 0.2477 0.0007
19 0.2641 0.0006 49 0.2472 0.0005
20 0.2635 0.0006 50 0.2468 0.0004
21 0.2627 0.0008 51 0.2460 0.0008
22 0.2623 0.0004 52 0.2455 0.0005
23 0.2616 0.0007 53 0.2450 0.0005
24 0.2611 0.0005 54 0.2444 0.0006
25 0.2605 0.0006 55 0.2439 0.0005
26 0.2599 0.0006 56 0.2433 0.0006
27 0.2593 0.0006 57 0.2428 0.0005
28 0.2588 0.0005 58 0.2423 0.0005
29 0.2583 0.0005 59 0.2417 0.0006
30 0.2577 -0.0006 60 0.2411 0.0006

Summary table for the evolution of ammonia from a sample of NI3. All times in minutes.

Graphs of weight loss of samples vs. time

It can be seen from the graphs that the major loss of ammonia for the agar occurs around 500 minutes. After this point, the evolution of ammonia is greatly reduced.

The NI3.NH3 lost ammonia at a steady rate for the first hour. After this point, the evolution increased until detonation occurred at the two hour mark. This experiment was repeated again and gave the same results.