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

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

From Time Magazine Archive

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

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

Discovery of Uranium X In 1900 Crookes precipitated a solution of an active uranium salt with ammonium carbonate.

From A Brief Account of Radio-activity by Venable, Francis Preston

The Nitro-bacteria are smaller, finer and quite different from the nitroso-bacteria, and are incapable of attacking and utilizing ammonium carbonate.

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

The solution of ammonium carbonate contains in each 10 c.c.

From Scientific American Supplement, No. 455, September 20, 1884 by Various