MolDraw › 3D molecule models › Ammonia 3D model
Ammonia molecule model (NH3)
Ammonia is the classic trigonal pyramidal molecule. Nitrogen bonds to three hydrogens and keeps one lone pair, which makes ammonia a base and a key building block for fertilisers.
Drag to rotate · pinch or scroll to zoom. 3D coordinates: PubChem conformer (CID 222).
Ammonia at a glance
| Formula | NH3 |
|---|---|
| Molar mass | 17.031 g/mol |
| IUPAC name | azane |
| Atoms / bonds | 4 / 3 |
| H-bond donors / acceptors | 1 / 1 |
| XLogP3 | -0.7 |
| SMILES | N |
| PubChem CID | 222 |
What the 3D model of Ammonia shows
The model contains 4 atoms (1 heavy atom and 3 hydrogens) joined by 3 bonds; in ball-and-stick mode every stick is one bond, and double or aromatic bonds are drawn as multiple sticks. Switch to space-filling to see the molecule as its electron cloud, scaled to van der Waals radii: this is the shape other molecules actually "feel". It can donate 1 and accept 1 hydrogen bonds, and its PubChem XLogP3 of -0.7 means it is fairly balanced between water and fat solubility. Its topological polar surface area is 1 Ų.
Shape and bond angles
| Atom(s) | Geometry / hybridisation | Angles & lengths |
|---|---|---|
| N | Trigonal pyramidal (AX₃E), tetrahedral electron geometry, sp³ | H–N–H 107.8°; N–H 101.2 pm |
Is Ammonia polar?
Polar (dipole moment about 1.47 D). The lone pair and the pyramidal shape stop the N–H dipoles from cancelling.
Elemental composition of NH3
| Element | Atoms | Mass (g/mol) | Mass % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrogen (H) | 3 | 3.024 | 17.76% |
| Nitrogen (N) | 1 | 14.007 | 82.24% |
Calculated from IUPAC standard atomic weights. Check any formula with the molar mass calculator.
Uses of ammonia
- Haber–Bosch ammonia is the raw material for most nitrogen fertilisers
- Household cleaners (aqueous ammonia)
- Refrigerant (R-717) in industrial cooling
Interesting facts
- The nitrogen atom flips through the plane of the H atoms ("umbrella inversion") about 24 billion times a second.
- The lone pair lets ammonia accept a proton to form the tetrahedral ammonium ion, NH₄⁺.
- Ammonia boils at −33 °C but is easily liquefied under pressure.
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Open MolDraw editorFrequently asked questions
What is the shape of ammonia?
Trigonal pyramidal: three N–H bonds and one lone pair around nitrogen, with H–N–H angles of about 107°.
Why is the bond angle in NH₃ less than 109.5°?
The lone pair repels the bonding pairs more strongly than they repel each other, squeezing the angle to 107.8°.
What is the chemical formula and molar mass of ammonia?
Ammonia is NH3 with a molar mass of 17.031 g/mol (PubChem CID 222). It contains 4 atoms: 3 hydrogen, 1 nitrogen.
What is the IUPAC name of Ammonia?
The PubChem-computed IUPAC name is azane.
How do I make a model of Ammonia?
Rotate the interactive model above to see how its 4 atoms connect, then copy it with a ball-and-stick kit: use the CPK colours shown (carbon grey or black, hydrogen white, oxygen red, nitrogen blue). For a school project, foam balls and toothpicks work well.