Ammonium

The Ammonium cation is a positively charged polyatomic ion of the chemical formula {{nitrogen}}{{hydrogen}}4+ and a molecular mass of 18.04, resulting from protonation of ammonia (NH3).

Related Topics:
Cation - Charge - Polyatomic ion - Chemical formula - Molecular mass - Protonation - Ammonia

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Ammonium and aminium are also general names for positively charged (i. e. protonated) substituted amines and quaternary ammonium cations N+R4, where one or more hydrogen atoms are replaced by organic radical groups (which could be symbolized as R).

Related Topics:
Substituted - Amine - Quaternary ammonium cation - Hydrogen - Atoms - Organic radical

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The positively charged nitrogen atom then forms four covalent bonds, instead of three as in ammonia. This reaction is reversible. The ammonium ion can act as a very weak acid in the sense that it can protonate a stronger base using any one of its hydrogen ( H ) atoms and convert back to ammonia. This means that the ammonium ion is a conjugate acid of the base ammonia. In a solution, the degree to which ammonia forms the ammonium ion depends on the pH of the solution.

Related Topics:
Nitrogen - Covalent bond - Reaction - Weak acid - Base - Hydrogen - Conjugate acid - Solution - PH

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However, formation of ammonium compounds can also occur in the vapor phase; for example, when ammonia vapor comes in contact with hydrogen chloride vapor, a white cloud of ammonium chloride forms, which eventually settles out as a solid in a thin white layer on surfaces. Ammonium cations resemble alkali metal ions like Na+ or K+ and can be found in salts such as ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium chloride, and ammonium nitrate. Most simple ammonium salts are very water soluble. Ammonium ions are a toxic waste product of the metabolism in animals and are excreted unchanged in the urine by water animals. Dissolving ammonia in water produces ammonium hydroxide.

Related Topics:
Vapor - Solid - Alkali metal - Ion - Na - K - Salt - Ammonium bicarbonate - Ammonium chloride - Ammonium nitrate - Soluble - Toxic - Metabolism - Animal - Urine - Water - Ammonium hydroxide

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