Diammonium phosphate
Diammonium phosphate, (NH₄)₂HPO₄, is a water-soluble ammonium salt used mainly as a fertilizer and as a nutrient in fermentation.
Fertilizer: A substance added to soil or plants to supply nutrients and support growth. Diammonium phosphate supplies crops with nitrogen and phosphorus.
Ammonium: The polyatomic cation NH₄⁺, formed when ammonia accepts a proton. Two ammonium ions balance the phosphate charge in the salt.
Nitrogen: A chemical element essential to proteins, nucleic acids, and many other biological molecules. Plants and yeast use nitrogen supplied by its ammonium ions.
Monoammonium phosphate: A water-soluble fertilizer salt with formula NH₄H₂PO₄. It contains one ammonium ion per phosphate unit, unlike diammonium phosphate.
Nitrogen fertilizer: A fertilizer that supplies nitrogen, an essential element for plant growth. Its ammonium ions provide plants with a readily available nitrogen source.
Hydrogen phosphate: The polyatomic anion HPO₄²⁻, derived from phosphoric acid by loss of two protons. This anion combines with two ammonium ions to form diammonium phosphate.
Phosphorus: A chemical element found in DNA, membranes, and molecules that transfer cellular energy. The phosphate component supplies phosphorus needed for plant growth.
Ammonium nitrate: An inorganic salt, NH₄NO₃, used chiefly as a nitrogen fertilizer and in explosives. It supplies nitrogen without the phosphate provided by diammonium phosphate.
Phosphorus fertilizer: A fertilizer that supplies phosphorus for plant energy transfer and development. Its phosphate ion supplies phosphorus alongside nitrogen.
Ionic compound: A substance composed of oppositely charged ions held together by electrostatic attraction. The formula describes the salt’s charge-balanced ions, not discrete molecules.