ammonium chloride

Ammonium chloride NH4Cl (also Sal ammoniac, salmiac, nushadir salt, sal armagnac, sal armoniac, salt armoniack) is, in its pure form, a clear white water-soluble crystalline salt of ammonia. The aqueous ammonium chloride solution is mildly acidic. Sal ammoniac is a name of natural, mineralogical form of ammonium chloride. The mineral is especially common on burning coal dumps (formed by condensation of coal-derived gases), but also on some volcanoes. Chemistry and Physics Ammonium chloride dissolved in water becomes an acid. Ammonium chloride is used to produce low temperatures in cooling baths. For example, the zero point of Fahrenheit temperature scale is determined by placing the thermometer in a mixture of ice, water, and ammonium chloride. Ammonium chloride solutions with ammonia are used as buffer solutions. In Agriculture In biological applications ammonium chloride acts as a nitrogen source and is used in fertilizers, as a feed supplement for cattle and as an ingredient in nutritive media for yeast microbiological organisms.