Question

at high temperatures, ammonium nitrate decomposes into water vapor and nitrous oxide. one molecule of ammonium nitrate produces two molecules of water and one molecule of nitrous oxide. ball-and-stick models of nitrous oxide and water molecules are shown. given that mass is conserved in chemical reactions, how many hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen atoms are there in a molecule of ammonium nitrate? move numbers to their correct places in the table. ammonium nitrate molecule number of hydrogen atoms number of oxygen atoms number of nitrogen atoms boxes numbers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Explanation:

Step1: Analyze water molecule

A water molecule ($H_2O$) has 2 H atoms and 1 O atom. If we assume (from the problem context, probably 2 water molecules? Wait, the problem says "one molecule of ammonium nitrate produces two molecules of water and one molecule of nitrous oxide" (I think the original text had a typo, should be two water molecules). So 2 water molecules: H atoms: $2\times2 = 4$, O atoms: $2\times1 = 2$.

Step2: Analyze nitrous oxide molecule

Nitrous oxide ($N_2O$) has 2 N atoms and 1 O atom.

Step3: Apply conservation of mass (atoms)

For H: from water, total H in products is 4 (since 2 $H_2O$), so ammonium nitrate has 4 H atoms.
For N: from nitrous oxide, 2 N atoms, so ammonium nitrate has 2 N atoms? Wait, no, wait the problem's ball - stick: water is $H_2O$ (2 H, 1 O), nitrous oxide is $N_2O$ (2 N, 1 O). The reaction: $NH_4NO_3
ightarrow 2H_2O + N_2O$. Let's check:

• H: in $2H_2O$: 4 H, so $NH_4NO_3$ has 4 H.
• O: in $2H_2O$: 2 O, in $N_2O$: 1 O, total O: 3. So $NH_4NO_3$ has 3 O.
• N: in $N_2O$: 2 N, so $NH_4NO_3$ has 2 N? Wait, no, $NH_4NO_3$ has two N atoms (from $NH_4^+$ and $NO_3^-$). Wait, maybe the problem says one molecule of ammonium nitrate produces two molecules of water and one molecule of nitrous oxide. So:

Number of H atoms: each $H_2O$ has 2 H, 2 molecules: $2\times2 = 4$.
Number of O atoms: 2 $H_2O$ (2 O) + 1 $N_2O$ (1 O) = 3 O.
Number of N atoms: 1 $N_2O$ has 2 N, so ammonium nitrate has 2 N? Wait, no, $NH_4NO_3$ has formula with 2 N, 4 H, 3 O. So:
Hydrogen: 4, Oxygen: 3, Nitrogen: 2.

Wait, let's re - do:

1. Water molecule ($H_2O$): H = 2, O = 1. If 2 water molecules: H = 2×2 = 4, O = 1×2 = 2.
2. Nitrous oxide ($N_2O$): N = 2, O = 1.
3. Total H in products: 4 (so ammonium nitrate has 4 H).
4. Total O in products: 2 (from water) + 1 (from nitrous oxide) = 3 (so ammonium nitrate has 3 O).
5. Total N in products: 2 (from nitrous oxide) = 2 (so ammonium nitrate has 2 N).

Answer:

Number of Hydrogen Atoms: 4, Number of Oxygen Atoms: 3, Number of Nitrogen Atoms: 2