Hydrogen chloride gas and ammonia can be used to demonstrate the fountain experiment because they are

In the fountain experiment, hydrogen chloride gas (HCl) and ammonia (NH₃) are used to demonstrate the creation of a visible 'fountain' due to their high solubility in water. Here's a simple explanation:

When hydrogen chloride gas and ammonia gas come into contact with water, they dissolve very quickly and react vigorously. This is because both gases are very soluble in water. As they dissolve, a vacuum-like pressure is created inside the container where the gases are held, pulling water up into it, creating the 'fountain' effect.

Moreover, when HCl and NH₃ gases react with each other, they form a white, solid product known as ammonium chloride (NH₄Cl), which is a demonstration of how both gases can effectively dissolve and react with not just water, but also with each other.

Thus, the ability of these gases to create a fountain effect is primarily because they are very soluble in water, which allows them to dissolve rapidly and create the pressure differential necessary for the water to be pulled into the container dynamically.