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We typed "smelling salts" into Yahoo!'s search box, then we checked the first match, a page from the Columbia Encyclopedia via Bartleby.com. This page redirected us to the Columbia Encyclopedia entry on ammonia. Once we arrived at the page, we used the find command [Ctrl+F] to search for the word "smelling" on the page. About halfway down we found a definition of smelling salts. Ammonium carbonate, (NH3)2CO3·H2O, is a colorless-to-white crystalline solid commonly known as smelling salts; in water solution it is sometimes called aromatic spirits of ammonia. This answered
the question, but we wanted to know a little more about smelling salts. We've seen them used to revive countless athletes when they've been knocked silly, so we headed back to the search results to discover how smelling salts actually work. After a few misses, we hit on an informative page from Discovery.com that explains why people sit up and take notice when smelling salts are placed beneath their nose. Ammonium carbonate is mixed with perfume to create a stimulant. The ammonia fumes from the salts irritate the membranes of the nose and lungs, which triggers a reflex causing the muscles that control breathing to work faster. Phew!
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