ammonium carbonate

American  

noun

Chemistry.

1. a water-soluble mixture of ammonium bicarbonate and ammonium carbamate, occurring either as a white powder or in colorless, hard, crystalline masses: used chiefly in the manufacture of smelling salts and baking powder.

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ammonium carbonate British  

noun

1. an unstable pungent soluble white powder that is a double salt of ammonium bicarbonate and ammonium carbamate: used in the manufacture of baking powder, smelling salts, and ammonium compounds. Formula: (NH 4 )HCO 3 .(NH 4 )CO 2 NH 2

2. an unstable substance that is produced by treating this compound with ammonia. Formula: (NH 4 ) 2 CO 3

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Etymology

Origin of ammonium carbonate

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

ammonium carbonate

A dozen cleaning agents were proposed before the restorers settled on a solution of distilled water and 25% ammonium carbonate.

From Time Magazine Archive

This hinderance of nitrification by the presence of an excess of ammonium carbonate effectually prevents the nitrification of strong solutions of urine, in which, as already mentioned, ammonium carbonate is the first product of fermentation.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 470, January 3, 1885 by Various

The brown color is due to the impurities, ammonium carbonate being one of these.

From Human Foods and Their Nutritive Value by Snyder, Harry

Write the equations showing how ammonium chloride, ammonium sulphate, ammonium carbonate, and ammonium nitrate may be prepared from ammonium hydroxide.

From An Elementary Study of Chemistry by McPherson, William

The second: a fifteen per cent solution of ammonium carbonate in water.

From The Home Medical Library, Volume V (of VI) by Winslow, Kenelm