ammonium carbonate

noun

: a carbonate of ammonium

specifically : the commercial mixture of the bicarbonate and carbamate used especially in smelling salts

Examples of ammonium carbonate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This includes the salts that form bright spots — and possibly have an aquatic origin — and ammonium carbonate deposits that indicate the presence of ammonia, most frequently found in the Neptune and Uranus systems and the Kuiper Belt. —John Wenz, Discover Magazine, 29 June 2016

Thankfully, though, ammonium carbonate decomposes when heated into two chemicals: carbon dioxide, which leavens the dough, and ammonia, which dissipates, leaving no aroma behind in the finished product. —Ben Mims, Los Angeles Times, 1 Dec. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1829, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

ammonium carbonate

noun

: a carbonate of ammonium

specifically : the commercial mixture of the bicarbonate and carbamate used especially in smelling salts