Home > Ammonium nitrate

The chemical compound ammonium nitrate, the nitrateNitrates are the salts of nitric acid. The nitrate ion is the polyatomic ion with chemical formula N O−; it is the conjugate base of nitric acid. The nitrate ion is planar and has the following structure: O O− \\ / N+ | O− A nitrate salt of ammoniaAmmonia is a chemical compound with the formula. The molecule is not flat, but has the shape of a flattened tetrahedron known as a trigonal pyramid''. In solution it forms the positively charged ammonium ion , which has the shape of a regular tetrahedron. with chemical formula NNitrogen is the chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol N and atomic number 7. A common normally colorless, odorless, tasteless and mostly inert diatomic non-metal gas, nitrogen constitutes 78 percent of Earth's atmosphere and is a cons Hhydrogen helium H Li Full table General Name, Symbol, NumberHydrogen, H, 1 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 1 (IA), 1 , s Density, Hardness 0. 0899 kg/m3, NA Appearance colorless Atomic properties Atomic weight 1. 00794 amu Atomic radius (ca₄ NNitrogen is the chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol N and atomic number 7. A common normally colorless, odorless, tasteless and mostly inert diatomic non-metal gas, nitrogen constitutes 78 percent of Earth's atmosphere and is a cons OOxygen is the chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol O and atomic number 8. The element is very common, found not only on Earth but throughout the universe. Molecular oxygen (O, often called free oxygen on Earth is thermodynamically un₃, is commonly used in agricultureFarming, ploughing rice paddy, in Indonesia Agriculture is the process of producing food, feed, fiber and other desired products by cultivation of certain plants and the raising of domesticated animals (livestock). Agriculture is also known as farming . as a high-nitrogen fertilizer. As a strong oxidizing agent, it has applications as a component of explosives. In the latter use, it is mixed with a hydrocarbon, usually Diesel fuel (oil). Because of the ready availability in bulk of the raw materials, ammonium nitrate/ fuel oil ( ANFO) mixtures have occasionally been used for terrorist bombs, for example by the Provisional IRA and in the Oklahoma City bombing by Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols.

Ammonium nitrate decomposes into gases including oxygen when heated (non-explosive reaction); however, ammonium nitrate can be induced to decompose explosively by detonation. Large stockpiles of the material can be a major fire risk due to their supporting oxidation, and may also detonate, as happened in the Texas City disaster of 1947, which led to major changes in the regulations for storage and handling. A heavy explosion, with 561 casualties, occurred in the city of Oppau (on the grounds of BASF near Ludwigshafen in Germany) on September 21, 1921. Another one occurred, 80 years later, at a plant in Toulouse, France, in September 21, 2001.

Ammonium nitrate is also used in instant cold packs, as it dissolves in water endothermically, absorbing 26.2 kilo joules per mole of heat to do so.

Ammonium nitrate is also used in the treatment of titanium ores.

Industrial production is quite easy. A simple reaction of ammonia with nitric acid easily gives a solution of ammonium nitrate. Another production method is used in the so called Odda process.