Ammonium in the context of Atoms

In chemistry, a salt or ionic compound is a chemical compound consisting of an assembly of positively charged ions (cations) and negatively charged ions (anions), which results in a compound with no net electric charge. The constituent ions are held together by electrostatic forces termed ionic bonds.

The component ions in a salt can be either inorganic, such as chloride (Cl), or organic, such as acetate (CH
₃COO
). Each ion can be either monatomic, such as sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl) in sodium chloride, or polyatomic, such as ammonium (NH
₄) and carbonate (CO
₃) ions in ammonium carbonate. Salts containing basic ions hydroxide (OH) or oxide (O) are classified as bases, such as sodium hydroxide and potassium oxide.

Compost is a mixture of ingredients used as plant fertilizer and to improve soil's physical, chemical, and biological properties. It is commonly prepared by decomposing plant and food waste, recycling organic materials, and manure. The resulting mixture is rich in plant nutrients and beneficial organisms, such as bacteria, protozoa, nematodes, and fungi. Compost improves soil fertility in gardens, landscaping, horticulture, urban agriculture, and organic farming, reducing dependency on commercial chemical fertilizers. The benefits of compost include providing nutrients to crops as fertilizer, acting as a soil conditioner, increasing the humus or humic acid contents of the soil, and introducing beneficial microbes that help to suppress pathogens in the soil and reduce soil-borne diseases.

At the simplest level, composting requires gathering a mix of green waste (nitrogen-rich materials such as leaves, grass, and food scraps) and brown waste (woody materials rich in carbon, such as stalks, paper, and wood chips). The materials break down into humus in a process taking months. Composting can be a multistep, closely monitored process with measured inputs of water, air, and carbon- and nitrogen-rich materials. The decomposition process is aided by shredding the plant matter, adding water, and ensuring proper aeration by regularly turning the mixture in a process using open piles or windrows. Fungi, earthworms, and other detritivores further break up the organic material. Aerobic bacteria and fungi manage the chemical process by converting the inputs into heat, carbon dioxide, and ammonium ions.

Ammonium carbonate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula [NH₄]₂CO₃. It is an ammonium salt of carbonic acid. It is composed of ammonium cations [NH₄] and carbonate anions CO2−3. Since ammonium carbonate readily degrades to gaseous ammonia and carbon dioxide upon heating, it is used as a leavening agent and also as smelling salt. It is also known as baker's ammonia and is a predecessor to the more modern leavening agents baking soda and baking powder. It is a component of what was formerly known as sal volatile and salt of hartshorn, and produces a pungent smell when baked. It comes in the form of a white powder or block, with a molar mass of 96.09 g/mol and a density of 1.50 g/cm. It is a strong electrolyte.

In humans, the kidneys are two reddish-brown bean-shaped blood-filtering organs that are a multilobar, multipapillary form of mammalian kidneys, usually without signs of external lobulation. They are located on the left and right in the retroperitoneal space, and in adult humans are about 12 centimetres (4+1⁄2 inches) in length. They receive blood from the paired renal arteries; blood exits into the paired renal veins. Each kidney is attached to a ureter, a tube that carries excreted urine to the bladder.

The kidney participates in the control of the volume of various body fluids, fluid osmolality, acid–base balance, various electrolyte concentrations, and removal of toxins. Filtration occurs in the glomerulus: one-fifth of the blood volume that enters the kidneys is filtered. Examples of substances reabsorbed are solute-free water, sodium, bicarbonate, glucose, and amino acids. Examples of substances secreted are hydrogen, ammonium, potassium and uric acid. The nephron is the structural and functional unit of the kidney. Each adult human kidney contains around 1 million nephrons, while a mouse kidney contains only about 12,500 nephrons. The kidneys also carry out functions independent of the nephrons. For example, they convert a precursor of vitamin D to its active form, calcitriol; and synthesize the hormones erythropoietin and renin.

Ammonium chloride is an inorganic chemical compound with the chemical formula NH₄Cl, also written as [NH₄]Cl. It is an ammonium salt of hydrogen chloride. It consists of ammonium cations [NH₄] and chloride anions Cl. It is a white crystalline salt that is highly soluble in water. Solutions of ammonium chloride are mildly acidic. In its naturally occurring mineralogic form, it is known as salammoniac. The mineral is commonly formed on burning coal dumps from condensation of coal-derived gases. It is also found around some types of volcanic vents. It is mainly used as fertilizer and a flavouring agent in some types of liquorice. It is a product of the reaction of hydrochloric acid and ammonia.

In organic chemistry, quaternary ammonium cations, also known as quats, are positively-charged polyatomic ions of the structure [NR₄], where R is an alkyl group, an aryl group or organyl group. Unlike the ammonium ion (NH+4) and the primary, secondary, or tertiary ammonium cations, the quaternary ammonium cations are permanently charged, independent of the pH of their solution. Quaternary ammonium salts or quaternary ammonium compounds (called quaternary amines in oilfield parlance) are salts of quaternary ammonium cations. Polyquats are a variety of engineered polymer forms which provide multiple quat molecules within a larger molecule.

Quats are used in consumer applications including as antimicrobials (such as detergents and disinfectants), fabric softeners, and hair conditioners. As an antimicrobial, they are able to inactivate enveloped viruses (such as SARS-CoV-2). Quats tend to be gentler on surfaces than bleach-based disinfectants, and are generally fabric-safe.

Ammonium nitrate is a chemical compound with the formula NH₄NO₃. It is a white crystalline salt consisting of ions of ammonium and nitrate. It is highly soluble in water and hygroscopic as a solid, but does not form hydrates. It is predominantly used in agriculture as a high-nitrogen fertilizer.

The sulfite process produces wood pulp that is almost pure cellulose fibers by treating wood chips with solutions of sulfite and bisulfite ions. These chemicals cleave the bonds between the cellulose and lignin components of the lignocellulose. A variety of sulfite/bisulfite salts are used, including sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), and ammonium (NH₄). The lignin is converted to lignosulfonates, which are soluble and can be separated from the cellulose fibers. For the production of cellulose, the sulfite process competes with the Kraft process which produces stronger fibers and is less environmentally costly.

An alum (/ˈæləm/) is a type of chemical compound, usually a hydrated double sulfate salt of aluminium with the general formula XAl(SO₄)₂·12H₂O, such that X is a monovalent cation such as potassium or ammonium. By itself, alum often refers to potassium alum, with the formula KAl(SO₄)₂·12H₂O. Other alums are named after the monovalent ion, such as sodium alum and ammonium alum.

The name alum is also used, more generally, for salts with the same formula and structure, except that aluminium is replaced by another trivalent metal ion like chromium, or sulfur is replaced by another chalcogen like selenium. The most common of these analogs is chrome alum KCr(SO₄)₂·12H₂O.

Ferric ammonium oxalate (also known as ammonium ferrioxalate or ammonium tris(oxalato)ferrate) is the ammonium salt of the anionic trisoxalato coordination complex of iron(III). It is a precursor to iron oxides, diverse coordination polymers, and Prussian Blue. The latter behavior is relevant to the manufacture of blueprint paper. Ferric ammonium oxalate has also been used in the synthesis of superconducting salts with bis(ethylene)dithiotetrathiafulvalene (BEDT-TTF), see Organic superconductor.

Ammonium perchlorate ("AP") is an inorganic compound with the formula NH₄ClO₄. It is a colorless or white solid that is soluble in water. It is a powerful oxidizer and a major component of ammonium perchlorate composite propellant. Its instability has involved it in accidents such as the PEPCON disaster, and has been suspected as the cause of the Port of Shahid Rajaee explosion.