We commonly refer to Ammonium Carbonate as Baker’s Ammonia. Along with it, it is a chemical compound that comprises the ions of the ammonium and carbonate. The chemical or the molecular formula for the Ammonium Carbonate is termed as (NH4)2CO3. On the other hand, it is a crystalline solid that has no color or a white powder that has a strong odor of ammonia and has a very Sharp ammoniacal taste. This article also deals in Ammonium Carbonate Formula.
Moreover, the ammonium carbonate is non-combustible and it is also soluble when you dissolve it in the water. Importantly, when it reacts with the acids it develops ammonium salt and carbon dioxide at the same time. When it reacts with bases it forms ammonia gas. It forms by the process of blending the carbon dioxide and aqueous ammonia together. Moreover, one commonly uses it as a leavening agent and as a smelling salt. It is so because of its property of degrading to the gaseous ammonia and the carbon dioxide when it is heated.
Ammonium Carbonate Formula
The Ammonium Carbonate is a white, crystalline salt that has a chemical formula i.e. (NH4)2CO3.
Production
Ammonium carbonate is made by the combination of carbon dioxide and the aqueous ammonia. However, about 80000 tons per year were produced as of 1997. The ammonium carbonate can be produced by carbon dioxide. This consists of, sending the carbon dioxide and the ammonia gas with the purity level of about 99-99.99 percent into 2 buffer gas vats with a pressure of 0.2 to 2MPa.
Opening the valve of the vats to release the flow of the gas by the Rota meter into a sealed PVC synthesis reaction bag and form the product. Wherein, the speed of the flow is (0.6-2) X 106L/h, and (0.1-0.6) X 106L/h for carbon dioxide and the ammonia gas separately.
Decomposition
The Ammonium carbonate decomposes at a very slow speed with standard temperature and pressure through 2 pathways. Thus any initially pure sample of the ammonium carbonate will soon turn into a mixture that includes various by-products. Ammonium carbonate has the capability to spontaneously decompose into the ammonium bicarbonate and the ammonia.
(NH4)2CO3 → NH4HCO3 + NH3
Which later on decompose into the carbon dioxide, water and some other molecules of ammonia.
NH4HCO3 → H2O + CO2 + NH3
Uses
Leavening Agent
The Ammonium carbonate also works as a leavening agent in some traditional recipes, particularly those from northern Europe and Scandinavia for example, Speculoos, Tunnbröd or Lebkuchen. It was the ancestor to today’s more commonly used general baking powder.
Some Other Uses
Ammonium carbonate is the main component of the smelling salts. Although, the commercial scale of their production process is smaller. Buckley’s cough syrup that is from Canada today uses ammonium carbonate as an active ingredient that helps in providing relief to the symptoms of bronchitis.
Moreover, it is also useful as an emetic. It is also present in smokeless tobacco generally chewing tobacco products like Skoal. One also uses it in the aqueous solution as a photographic lens cleaning agent that cleans the lenses, for example, Eastman Kodak’s “Kodak Lens Cleaner.”
Properties of Ammonium Carbonate
The chemical formula of Ammonium Carbonate is (NH4)2CO3. Along with this, the molecular weight is 96.09 g/mol. The density is 1.50 g/cm3. It has a melting point of 58 °C whereas, its boiling point decomposes.
Stability/Shelf Life
The ammonium carbonate decomposes on exposure to air with the loss of ammonia and the carbon dioxide, and it becomes white and powdery and starts converting into ammonium bicarbonate gradually.
Substitute
One can substitute a teaspoon of the baker’s ammonia with a teaspoon baking powder with a teaspoon of the baking soda.
Solved Example on Ammonium Carbonate Formula
Question: Which will not be precipitated after addition of Ammonium carbonate in presence of NH4CI:- (1) Mg (2) Ba (3) Ca (4) Sr?
Solution: When we add (NH4)2CO3 to salt solution containing NH4Cl and NH4OH, the carbonates of Ba2+, Sr2+ and Ca2+ are precipitated:
BaCl2+(NH4)2CO3 → BaCO3↓+ 2NH4Cl
SrCl2+(NH4)2CO3 → SrCO3↓+ 2NH4Cl
CaCl2+(NH4)2CO3 → CaCO3↓+ 2NH4Cl
Then answer is (1) – Mg.
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