Ammonium nitrate facts for kids

Ammonium nitrate, a common chemical compound.

Ammonium nitrate is a special chemical compound. Its chemical formula is NH₄NO₃. This means it is made of one nitrogen atom, four hydrogen atoms, another nitrogen atom, and three oxygen atoms. It contains two important parts: ammonium and nitrate ions. These are tiny charged particles. Nitrogen in ammonium nitrate can be found in different forms, showing how versatile this element is.

What is Ammonium Nitrate Like?

Ammonium nitrate is a solid substance. It has no color. It can easily dissolve in water. When it dissolves, it makes the water feel cold. This chemical is also known as an oxidizing agent. This means it can help other substances burn.

How it Reacts to Heat

• If you heat ammonium nitrate gently, it changes into water and nitrous oxide. Nitrous oxide is also known as "laughing gas."
• If you heat it very strongly, it can explode. This is why it must be handled with great care.
• Because it can be used to make explosives, some places have stopped using ammonium nitrate in fertilizers. This helps keep people safe.

How is Ammonium Nitrate Made?

Ammonium nitrate is usually made in two main ways.

Making it from Ammonia and Nitric Acid

The most common way to make ammonium nitrate is by mixing ammonia with nitric acid.

• This reaction is very strong and can be quite powerful.
• It creates ammonium nitrate.

Making it from Other Chemicals

Another way to make ammonium nitrate is by reacting sodium nitrate with ammonium sulfate.

• This process creates a liquid mixture.
• The mixture contains both ammonium nitrate and sodium sulfate.
• When this mixture cools down, the sodium sulfate turns into solid crystals.
• These crystals can then be removed, leaving behind the ammonium nitrate.

What is Ammonium Nitrate Used For?

Ammonium nitrate has several important uses in our world.

As a Fertilizer

• One of its main uses is as a fertilizer for plants.
• It helps plants grow strong and healthy.
• Ammonium nitrate has a lot of nitrogen. Nitrogen is a key nutrient that plants need to grow. It has more nitrogen than many other types of fertilizers.

In Explosives

• Ammonium nitrate is also used to make explosives.
• These explosives are used for things like mining or construction.
• It can also be used as an oxidizer in rockets. This means it helps the rocket fuel burn.

See also

In Spanish: Nitrato de amonio para niños