What is the difference between Ammonium Nitrate and Ammonium Sulphate?

Ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate are dry white powders that are similar to each other. They are used as plant fertilizers. Ammonium nitrate is a chemical compound that includes two different compounds which are nitrate and ammonia, while ammonium sulfate is an inorganic composition of nitrogen and Sulphur.

Ammonium sulfate is used as a stimulant for alkaline soils; the Sulphur helps to decreases the PH balance of the soil; it does this by increasing the nitrogen content, while Ammonium sulfate is used to control acidic soil. Ammonium nitrate is very dangerous, and it can be used to create an explosive substance. Ammonium sulfate is a safe compound and is used as a food additive.

The critical difference between ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate is that ammonium nitrate results from ammonia and nitric acid reaction. In contrast, ammonium sulfate is created when ammonia reacts with sulfuric acid, and it has two ammonium cations per anion.

The chief use of ammonium nitrate is in agriculture as a fertilizer. Ammonium sulfate is also an inorganic salt of ammonia. It is essential as fertilizer for the soil. It can also be utilized in the making of insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides. Ammonium nitrate is an inorganic salt comprised of a nitrate anion linked to ammonium cation. This compound exists as a white crystal solid that is highly water-soluble.

One of the reasons why people may become confused with the two is they are used very similarly. When you say ammonium sulfate, people normally use this as a stimulant for different alkaline soils. Ammonium sulfate will help decrease the pH balance that can be found in the soil. When you say Ammonium nitrate, this is known to be a chemical compound that is composed of ammonia and nitric acid.

This can be used for a wide variety of purposes. This can be used as a fertilizer, and it can also be used as an explosive. This can also be used to produce antibiotics and also yeast. One difference between the two is that ammonium nitrate will not be able to form hydrates.

Although, differentiating between ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate just by how they look can be very confusing; however, one of the ways to clearly differentiate between the two is by looking at how both are formed. Ammonium nitrate is formed by a mixture of ammonia and nitric acid. This is usually a violent reaction, and proper care must be taken to avoid certain laboratory hazards. The overall processes of this reaction leave fine white pellets as the product.

On the other hand, ammonium sulfate is formed by a mixture of ammonia and sulphuric acid. Another important fact about ammonium sulfate is that it also exists naturally. Although both are very similar when it comes to what they are used for. They are used in fertilizers, but ammonium sulfate is used mostly for alkaline soils so as to decrease the pH balance of the soil, while ammonium nitrate is used for acidic soils.