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.

---

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

---

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

Probably, however, it is seldom wise to use ammonium carbonate.

From Disturbances of the Heart by Osborne, Oliver T. (Oliver Thomas)

As urea is converted into ammonium carbonate in the first stage of the action of the ferment, a supply of salifiable base would at first be present, but would gradually be consumed.

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

Many forms in rivers, soil, manure heaps, &c., are capable of bringing about this change to ammonium carbonate, and much of the loss of volatile ammonia on farms is preventible if the facts are apprehended.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 3, Part 1, Slice 2 "Baconthorpe" to "Bankruptcy" by Various

This is the cause of boiler scale, and to check this a small amount of sal ammoniac may be added to the water, which converts the carbonate into soluble calcium chloride and volatile ammonium carbonate.

From Soap-Making Manual A Practical Handbook on the Raw Materials, Their Manipulation, Analysis and Control in the Modern Soap Plant. by Thomssen, E. G.