Overview

Ammonium nitrate (uh-MOH-ni-um NYE-trate) is a white crystalline substance first made artificially in 1659 by the German chemist Johann Rudolf Glauber (1604–1670). The compound does not occur in nature because it is so soluble that it is washed out of the soil by rain and surface water. Ammonium nitrate is stable at lower temperatures, but tends to decompose explosively when heated to temperatures above 200°C (390°F). Its two most important uses today are in fertilizers and explosives. In 2004, it ranked fourteenth among all chemicals manufactured in the United States. Just over six million metric tons (6.6 million short tons) of the compound were produced in 2004.

Key Facts

Other Names:

German saltpeter; Norway saltpeter; nitric acid, ammonium salt

Formula:

NH₄NO₃

Elements:

Nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen

Compound Type:

Inorganic salt

State:

Solid

Molecular Weight:

80.04 g/mol

Melting Point:

169.6°C (337.3°F)

Boiling Point:

211°C (412°F); decomposes at its boiling point

Solubility: