Ammonium and Nitrate

Ammonium and nitrate are inorganic compounds that plants can absorb. Ammonium is a cation, or positively charged, while nitrate is an anion, or negatively charged (these electrical charges are a result of a gain or loss of electrons).

Since ammonium and nitrate have equal opposing charges, they can easily bond together to form an ionic compound called ammonium nitrate.

Back Next
replay
An animation showing ammonium nitrate.
Animated illustration illustrating that ammonium is a cation, or positively charged, while nitrate is an anion, or negatively charged.

© 2017 NMSU Board of Regents. All rights reserved. NMSU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and educator. This project is supported by Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants no. 2010-38422-21211 and 2014-38422-2208 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and by the President’s Fund at New Mexico State University.

NMSU does not discriminate on the basis of age, ancestry, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, retaliation, serious medical condition, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, spousal affiliation or protected veteran status in its programs and activities as required by equal opportunity/affirmative action regulations and laws and university policy and rules. For more information please read the NMSU Notice of Non-discrimination. (new window)

To view the Privacy Policy (new window).

For web technical issues such as typos, broken links, or other technical problems with the site, please contact NMSU Media Productions.