Knowra Ammonium sulfate Ammonium sulfate Ammonium sulfate, (NH₄)₂SO₄, is a water-soluble inorganic salt used chiefly as a nitrogen fertilizer and to precipitate proteins during laboratory purification.
Fertilizer : A substance added to soil or plants to supply nutrients and support plant growth. Ammonium sulfate supplies crops with nitrogen and sulfur in a readily soluble form.
Ammonium ion : The positively charged polyatomic ion NH₄⁺, formed when ammonia accepts a proton. Dissolved ammonium sulfate releases this plant-available nitrogen ion.
Ionic compound : A substance composed of oppositely charged ions held together by electrostatic attraction. Ammonium sulfate consists of ammonium cations and sulfate anions.
Ammonium nitrate : An inorganic salt, NH₄NO₃, used chiefly as a nitrogen fertilizer and in explosives. It supplies nitrogen without the sulfur provided by ammonium sulfate.
Nitrogen cycle : The movement of nitrogen among the atmosphere, organisms, soils, and waters through biological and chemical processes. Soil microbes transform ammonium from this fertilizer into other forms of nitrogen.
Sulfate : The negatively charged polyatomic ion SO₄²⁻, consisting of one sulfur atom bonded to four oxygen atoms. Each formula unit pairs two ammonium ions with one sulfate ion.
Chemical formula : A symbolic representation showing the elements and relative numbers of atoms in a substance. (NH₄)₂SO₄ records the salt's two ammonium ions for each sulfate ion.
Urea : An organic compound, CO(NH₂)₂, widely used as a concentrated nitrogen fertilizer. Urea contains more nitrogen by mass and does not directly supply sulfate.
Soil acidification : A decline in soil pH caused by the accumulation of acidic compounds. Nitrification of ammonium sulfate can release acidity and lower soil pH.
Dissociation (chemistry) : The separation of a compound into smaller particles, often ions, when dissolved or otherwise transformed. In water, ammonium sulfate separates into ammonium and sulfate ions.
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