Cyanide is a rapidly acting, potentially deadly chemical that can exist in various forms.
Cyanide can be a colorless gas, such as hydrogen cyanide (HCN) or cyanogen chloride (CNCl), or a crystal form such as sodium cyanide (NaCN) or potassium cyanide (KCN).
Cyanide sometimes is described as having a “bitter almond” smell, but it does not always give off an odor, and not everyone can detect this odor.
Cyanide is also known by the military designations AC (for hydrogen cyanide) and CK (for cyanogen