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.
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Ammonium carbonate in the context of Salt (chemistry)
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.
Ammonium carbonate in the context of Smelling salt
Smelling salts, also known as ammonia inhalants, spirit of hartshorn, or sal volatile, are chemical compounds used as stimulants to restore consciousness after fainting.
The usual active compound is ammonium carbonate—a colorless-to-white, crystalline solid ((NH4)2CO3). Since most modern solutions are mixed with water, they may also be called aromatic spirits of ammonia. Modern solutions may also contain other products to perfume or act in conjunction with the ammonia, such as lavender oil or eucalyptus oil.