[Darren]

what happens when you react zinc with ammonium nitrate? what's the chemical equation?
and also for the reaction of zinc with ammonium nitrate and ammonium chloride.
what are the conditions needed for both reactions to start if they are in the solid state?
and what will happen if they are in aqueous state for ammonium chloride and ammonium nitrate? will the reaction still work?
thanks

[Schrödinger]

What are your attempts at the question? I mean, what are the possible reactions according to you?

[Darren]

im guessing that zinc reacts with ammonium nitrate to produce zinc oxide and nitrogen gas?
and for the other reaction maybe zinc chloride, nitrogen gas and zinc oxide is produced?
are there products correct?

[jcjlf]

You should always try to bring back the problem to categories of reactions you know: oxidation-reduction, acid-base, complex formation etc.  
Zinc, a metal is good reducing agent, forming positive ions. Ammonium ions are acids, bases? Nitrate ions are? You might use tables of redox couples, acid-base couples, complex forming agents.  

Otherwise chemistry becomes a collection of innumerous facts that you have to learn by heart.

Anyway your guess is far from reality!

[Darren]

so what do you guys think these reactions will produce? i really have no idea of what the products are...

[ilja]

every metal with a more negative redoxpotential than H⁺will get oxidised by H⁺-Ions

the more negative the redoxpotential the better is the oxidation by H⁺ -Ions

e.g H⁺ prefers to oxidise Li than Zn and cannot oxidise Ag.

You have got NH₄⁺, Nitrate-Ions and Zn in aqueous medium.
Ammonium will react as an acid with the water (Nitrate as the corresponding base of a strong acid won't react at all and is just solved in water) in the mixture what will increase the H⁺-concentration. The Nitrate-Ion has got a redoxpotential of +95V.This leads you to a redox-reaction with the Zn as only possible reaction.

Zn + 2H⁺   Zn²⁺ + H₂

Same reaction with Ammoniumchloride.


PS you need an aqueous medium. Ammoniumnitrate/chloride are both salts and at room temperature in solid state.

[Darren]

i reacted all the reactants at the solid state. but the only thing that started the reaction was when i put a small flame at it or when i added copper sulfate or copper chloride solution to start the reaction.