The key difference between ammonia and ammonium nitrate is that ammonia is a gaseous compound while ammonium nitrate is a solid compound at room temperature and pressure.
Both ammonia and ammonium nitrate are nitrogen-containing compounds. However, there are differences between ammonia and ammonium nitrate in their chemical structure, appearance and properties. We will be discussing the major differences between ammonia and ammonium nitrate in this article.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Ammonia
3. What is Ammonium Nitrate
4. Side by Side Comparison – Ammonia vs Ammonium Nitrate in Tabular Form
5. Summary
What is Ammonia?
Ammonia is an inorganic chemical compound having the chemical formula NH3. It exists in the gaseous state at room temperature and pressure. Thus, it is colourless and has a pungent, irritating odour. Moreover, it is considered commonly as a nitrogenous-waste, mainly among aquatic organisms. Likewise, it is an alkaline compound. The IUPAC name of the compound is azane.
Figure 01: Chemical Structure of Ammonia Molecule
Some other chemical facts about this gas are as follows:
- Molar mass is 17.031 g/mol.
- It is a colourless gas with a pungent odour.
- Melting point is −77.73 °C.
- Boiling point is −33.34 °C.
- Molecular geometry is a trigonal
- It is a flammable gas.
When considering the geometry of the ammonia molecule, it has three N-H bonds with a lone electron pair on the nitrogen atoms, arranged in trigonal pyramidal geometry. Due to the presence if this lone electron pair, the bond angle of the molecule is 107°. Since there are N-H bonds, the molecule can form hydrogen bonds. Moreover, boiling aqueous ammonia easily emits ammonia gas due to its low boiling point.
What is Ammonium Nitrate?
Ammonium nitrate is an inorganic compound having the chemical formula NH4NO3. It is a salt containing ammonium cation and nitrate anion. Ammonium nitrate appears as a white solid at room temperature and easily dissolves in water. Moreover, it occurs as a natural mineral in nature.
Figure 02: Chemical Structure of Ammonium Nitrate
Some chemical facts about this compound are as follows:
- Molar mass is 80.043 g/mol.
- Appears as a white or grey solid.
- Melting point is 169.6 °C.
- Above 210 °C, it decomposes.
- The crystal structure of the compound is trigonal.
Besides, the major use of this compound is in agriculture such as it is highly useful as a high-nitrogen fertilizer. Apart from that, we can use it in producing explosive mixtures for mining and quarrying purposes. Also, since the dissolution of this compound in water is highly endothermic, it is useful in some instant cold packs as well.
What is the Difference Between Ammonia and Ammonium Nitrate?
Ammonia is an inorganic chemical compound having the chemical formula NH3 whereas ammonium nitrate is an inorganic compound having the chemical formula NH4NO3. The key difference between ammonia and ammonium nitrate is that ammonia is a gaseous compound while ammonium nitrate is a solid compound at room temperature and pressure. Apart from that, there is a difference between ammonia and ammonium nitrate in their structure too. That is; ammonia is a trigonal pyramidal molecule while ammonium nitrate is an ionic compound having the trigonal crystal structure. When considering the applications, ammonia is useful as a fertilizer, a precursor to nitrogenous compounds, as a household cleaner, in fermentation industry, etc. whereas ammonium nitrate is useful as a fertilizer and as a component in explosive mixtures.
The below infographic on difference between ammonia and ammonium nitrate shows more differences in tabular form.
Summary – Ammonia vs Ammonium Nitrate
Ammonia and ammonium nitrate are nitrogenous compounds that contain nitrogen atoms in their chemical structure. In summary, the key difference between ammonia and ammonium nitrate is that ammonia is a gaseous compound while ammonium nitrate is a solid compound at room temperature and pressure.
Reference:
1. “Ammonium Nitrate.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 21 Oct. 2018. Available here
2. “Ammonia.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Oct. 2018. Available here
Image Courtesy:
1.”Ammonia-2D”By Radio89 – Own work, (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2.”Ammonium-nitrate-2D”By Mikayé (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia