When urea is mixed with water, a chemical reaction occurs.
According to chemical principles and supported by the provided reference, when urea (CO(NH₂)₂) is mixed with water (H₂O), it undergoes a reaction.
The primary chemical event described in the reference is:
Step 1: Formation of Ammonium Carbonate
The first step involves the reaction of urea with water to form ammonium carbonate ((NH₄)₂CO₃). The reference states: "Step 1 - Reaction of urea with water gives ammonium carbonate (A)."
This reaction can be represented chemically as:
CO(NH₂)₂ + 2H₂O → (NH₄)₂CO₃
This reaction occurs when urea is dissolved in water, although the rate can be influenced by factors like temperature and the presence of enzymes (like urease, which speeds up the process).
Step 2: Decomposition of Ammonium Carbonate
The reference also describes what happens to the resulting ammonium carbonate (A) under specific conditions: "Step 2 - Ammonium carbonate (A) on heating decomposes into ammonia gas (B) along with water and carbon dioxide."
While this step requires heating and is not solely a result of mixing with water at ambient temperature, it is the subsequent behavior of the product formed in step 1. When heated, ammonium carbonate decomposes into:
- Ammonia gas (NH₃) - The reference calls this substance (B).
- Water (H₂O)
- Carbon dioxide gas (CO₂)
This decomposition reaction can be written as:
(NH₄)₂CO₃ + Heat → 2NH₃ + H₂O + CO₂
Therefore, while the initial mixing primarily yields ammonium carbonate, subsequent heating of this solution leads to the evolution of ammonia and carbon dioxide gases, which are detectable and often used in chemical tests.
In summary, mixing urea with water initiates a reaction forming ammonium carbonate. This product can then decompose into ammonia, water, and carbon dioxide if heated.
