Q-6: Why is the liquid ammonia bottle cooled in ice before being opened?

Ammonia is a gas at room temperature and can cause harm if inhaled directly. When ammonia is stored in a bottle, it is under high pressure which allows it to remain in a liquid state. If the bottle is opened at room temperature, the decrease in pressure would cause the liquid ammonia to rapidly convert to its gaseous state, which could potentially be dangerous.

Therefore, the bottle of liquid ammonia is cooled in ice before being opened. The cooling slows down the rate of vaporization of the ammonia, making it safer to open the bottle. The lower temperature reduces the pressure inside the bottle, which in turn reduces the risk of the liquid ammonia rapidly converting to its gaseous state when the bottle is opened.