Describe how sodium chloride is obtained from sea water. Write balanced chemical equations for the reactions involved in the Solvay process to obtain sodium bicarbonate from ammonium chloride.

Here are the solutions to the questions:

1. a)
   • i) Sodium chloride is obtained from sea water through solar evaporation. Sea water is channeled into shallow ponds (salt pans), where the sun's heat evaporates the water, leaving behind concentrated brine from which sodium chloride crystals precipitate. These crystals are then collected.
   • ii)
     • First reaction (formation of ammonium hydrogen carbonate): $$\text{NH}_3(\text{g}) + \text{H}_2\text{O}(\text{l}) + \text{CO}_2(\text{g}) \to \text{NH}_4\text{HCO}_3(\text{aq})$$
     • Second reaction (formation of sodium bicarbonate