Rookie question

[hamseen]

Hi, i was wondering if anything like aluminium foil/tin foil (is that the same thing?) reacted with ammonia to produce a gas?

[Darkblade48]

Technically, tin foil used to be made with tin, but it would leave a funny taste when used to cover food, so it's been changed to aluminum (foil) now. However, the name "tin foil" still remains in use, even though technically, the foil is no longer made of tin.

 

Just a brief history lesson for you

 

As for your chemistry related question, no, I don't believe aluminum foil will react with an ammonia solution to create a gas.

[woelen]

Aluminium foil makes a gas with strong alkalies, like sodium hydroxide. With ammonia, the rate of formation is so low, that it is not of any practical use. Maybe, if you leave the foil in ammonia, and you look at it the other day, then you could see small bubbles of hydrogen gas, but the reaction will be very slow.

 

You also can make hydrogen gas from aluminium and dilute hydrochloric acid. Be careful with this reaction though. At first, it proceeds slowly and smoothly, but it tends to go faster and faster and also becomes very hot.