Ammonia or
azane is a
compound of
nitrogen and
hydrogen with the
formula NH
3. It is a colourless
gas with a characteristic pungent smell. Ammonia contributes significantly to the
nutritional needs of terrestrial organisms by serving as a precursor to
food and
fertilizers. Ammonia, either directly or indirectly, is also a building block for the synthesis of many
pharmaceuticals and is used in many commercial cleaning products. Although common in nature and in wide use, ammonia is both
caustic and
hazardous in its concentrated form.
