What is "sal ammoniac"

Sal \Sal\ (s[a^]l), n. [L. See Salt.] (Chem. & Pharm.) Salt. Sal absinthii [NL.] (Old Chem.), an impure potassium carbonate obtained from the ashes of wormwood ( Artemisia Absinthium). Sal acetosell[ae] [NL.] (Old Chem.), salt of sorrel. Sal alembroth. (Old Chem.) See Alembroth. Sal ammoniac (Chem.), ammonium chloride, NH4Cl, a white crystalline volatile substance having a sharp salty taste, obtained from gas works, from nitrogenous matter, etc. It is largely employed as a source of ammonia, as a reagent, and as an expectorant in bronchitis. So called because originally made from the soot from camel's dung at the temple of Jupiter Ammon in Africa. Called also muriate of ammonia. Sal catharticus [NL.] (Old Med. Chem.), Epsom salts. Sal culinarius [L.] (Old Chem.), common salt, or sodium chloride. Sal Cyrenaicus. [NL.] (Old Chem.) See Sal ammoniac above. Sal de duobus, Sal duplicatum [NL.] (Old Chem.), potassium sulphate; -- so called because erroneously supposed to be composed of two salts, one acid and one alkaline. Sal diureticus [NL.] (Old Med. Chem.), potassium acetate. Sal enixum [NL.] (Old Chem.), acid potassium sulphate. Sal gemm[ae] [NL.] (Old Min.), common salt occuring native. Sal Jovis [NL.] (Old Chem.), salt tin, or stannic chloride; -- the alchemical name of tin being Jove. Sal Martis [NL.] (Old Chem.), green vitriol, or ferrous sulphate; -- the alchemical name of iron being Mars. Sal microcosmicum [NL.] (Old Chem.) See Microcosmic salt, under Microcosmic. Sal plumbi [NL.] (Old Chem.), sugar of lead. Sal prunella. (Old Chem.) See Prunella salt, under 1st Prunella. Sal Saturni [NL.] (Old Chem.), sugar of lead, or lead acetate; -- the alchemical name of lead being Saturn. Sal sedativus [NL.] (Old Chem.), sedative salt, or boric acid. Sal Seignette [F. seignette, sel de seignette] (Chem.), Rochelle salt. Sal soda (Chem.), sodium carbonate. See under Sodium. Sal vitrioli [NL.] (Old Chem.), white vitriol; zinc sulphate. Sal volatile. [NL.]

1. (Chem.) See Sal ammoniac, above.

2. Spirits of ammonia.

Ammoniac \Am*mo"ni*ac\, Ammoniacal \Am`mo*ni"a*cal\, a. Of, pertaining, or containing ammonia, or possessing its properties; as, an ammoniac salt; ammoniacal gas.

Ammoniacal engine, an engine in which the vapor of ammonia is used as the motive force.

Sal ammoniac [L. sal ammoniacus], the salt usually called chloride of ammonium, and formerly muriate of ammonia.

n. 1 (context mineral English) a rare mineral composed of ammonium chloride found around volcanic fumaroles and guano deposits. 2 (context chemistry archaic English) ammonium chloride.

n. a white salt used in dry cells [syn: ammonium chloride]

Sal ammoniac is a rare mineral composed of ammonium chloride, NHCl. It forms colorless, white, or yellow-brown crystals in the isometric-hexoctahedral class. It has very poor cleavage and a brittle to conchoidal fracture. It is quite soft, with a Mohs hardness of 1.5 to 2, and it has a low specific gravity of 1.5. It is water-soluble. Sal ammoniac is also the archaic name for the chemical compound ammonium chloride. The Romans called the ammonium chloride deposits that they collected from near the Temple of Jupiter Amun ( Greek Ἄμμων Ammon) in ancient Libya 'sal ammoniacus' (salt of Amun) because of proximity to the nearby temple. Salts of ammonia have been known from very early times; the term Hammoniacus sal appears in the writings of Pliny, but it is not known whether the term is identical with the more modern sal-ammoniac. In any case, that salt ultimately gave ammonia and ammonium compounds their name.

It typically forms as encrustations formed by sublimation around volcanic vents and is found around volcanic fumaroles, guano deposits and burning coal seams. Associated minerals include sodium alum, native sulfur and other fumarole minerals. Notable occurrences include Tajikistan; Mount Vesuvius, Italy; and Parícutin, Michoacan, Mexico.