Urea facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Urea
IUPAC name	Aminomethylamide
Other names	Carbamide
Identifiers
CAS number	57-13-6
SMILES	NC(=O)N
Properties
Molecular formula	(NH2)2CO
Molar mass	60.07 g/mol
Appearance	white odourless solid
Density	1.33·10³ kg/m³, solid
Melting point	132.7 °C (406 K) decomposes
Boiling point	n.a.
Solubility in water	108 g/100 ml (20 °C) 167 g/100 ml (40 °C) 251 g/100 ml (60 °C) 400 g/100 ml (80 °C) 733 g/100 ml (100 °C)
Acidity (pKa)	0.18
Basicity (pKb)	13.82
Structure
Dipole moment	4.56 p/D
Hazards
MSDS	ScienceLab.com
NFPA 704	1 2 0
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)

Urea is an organic compound. It was first found in urine in 1773 by the French chemist Jean Rouelle. It is also called Carbamide, and its chemical names are Carbonyl Diamide (used in inorganic chemistry) and Diaminomethanal (used in organic chemistry).

In humans, it is a normal component of blood and many body tissues. It is produced in the liver, where ammonia, a very toxic substance, is changed into urea, which has a very low toxicity, so low in fact, that it is many times less toxic than table salt. Most of the urea produced in this way is not needed by the body, and is removed from the blood in the kidneys and taken out of the body in urine.

• use of urea as an automotive reagent to reduce harmful emissions (AdBlue)
• The dispensing and handling of Urea AdBlue (AdBlue)

Images for kids

• 

  A plant in Bangladesh that produces urea fertilizer.