1) Ammonia is used in the industrial preparation of nitric acid by Ostwald's process.
2) Fertilisers, such as ammonium sulphate, ammonium nitrate, ammonium phosphate, urea etc. are manufactured with the help of ammonia.3) It is used in the manufacture of other ammonium salts, such as ammonium chloride, ammonium carbonate, ammonium nitrite etc.
4) It finds use in the manufacture of nitrogen compounds such as sodium cynamide, plastics, rayon, nylon, dyes etc.5) It is used in the manufacture of sodium carbonate by Solvay's process. (Ammonia and carbon dioxide are treated with aqueous sodium chloride, crystals of sodium hydrogen carbonate are formed. They are heated to yield sodium carbonate)
6) Ammonia acts as refrigerant in ice plants. Evaporation of a liquid needs heat energy. About 17g of liquid ammonia absorb 5700 calories of heat from the surrounding water. This cools the water and ultimately freezes it to ice.7) Ammonia is used to transport hydrogen. Hydrogen is dangerous to transport, as it is highly combustible. So it is converted to ammonia, liquefied, transported and then catalytically treated to obtain hydrogen.
8) Many ammonium salts are used in medicines. Inhaling the fumes produced by rubbing ammonium carbonate in the hands can revive people who have fainted.9) It is used as a cleansing agent. Ammonia solution emulsifies fats, grease etc. so it can be used to clean oils, fats, body grease etc. from clothes. It is also used to clean glassware, porcelain, floors etc.
10) It is used as laboratory reagent.The uses of ammonia are summarized given in figure 6.12.
