Urea vs. Uric Acid
What is the Difference between Urea and Uric Acid? Although many can get confused, urea and uric acid are two different compounds.
We are very familiar with these two compounds as they are found and used for various purposes in our daily lives.
Difference between Urea and Uric Acid
In the human body, urea is a waste product. It is excreted with other components in the urine. The other ingredients are sodium chloride and other chemicals.
Urea is excreted from the human body by sweating. Uric acid is also excreted from the body but is the final product in the metabolism of urine. It is always excreted with urine.
The uric acid is the excrement of birds and is usually solid, while human urea is excreted in liquid form.
The chemical formula of urea is (NH2) 2CO and the uric acid is C5H4N4O3.
Both compounds are organic in nature, A urea molecule has two amine residues and these are joined by the functional group, carbonyl. The uric acid is made of xanthine oxidase and is toxic to tissues.
Urea is colorless, water-soluble, odorless, and neutral. It is non-toxic and is widely used in the manufacture of fertilizers.
This is because it is a good source of nitrogen and it promotes effective growth in plants.
The transportation cost of urea is also lower and it is a solid fertilizer and the nitrogen content is high.
Then, the amount of nitrogen transported is more when the urea is being transported.
It is also used as a raw material. Urea has uses in the automotive industry as well as in chemistry.
Uric acid is also used as a fertilizer due to its nitrogen content. But the form of uric acid is guano.
The uric acid has a crystalline form and is used in the manufacture of some reflectors to repel fireflies.
The high blood level of urea, in humans, can affect the kidneys. The high content of uric acid can cause joint pain.
Higher levels of uric acid in the human body lead to the formation of kidney stones. In humans, the blood in urea is converted into uric acid.
If this is in excess, the effect of this compound on the kidneys is high in patients with diabetes.
When there are deposits of excess urea, it indicates some failure or less functioning of the kidneys. Occasionally it may be due to kidney failure.
In Summary:
- Fecal acid in birds is in the solid state and urea in humans is in the liquid state.
- The urea has the chemical formula (NH2) 2CO while the uric acid is C5H4N4O3.
- Urea has many different uses while uric acid does not.
- Urea is more commonly used as a fertilizer compared to uric acid.
- The uric acid that is in excess in the human body, leads to the formation of stones in the kidney and excessive levels of urea in the body show a failure in the kidneys.
- A prolonged deposit of uric acid is more harmful to the tissues of the human body than a urea deposit.
uric acid vs urea
