Reaction pathway approach:
Urease-catalysed hydrolysis of urea proceeds in two steps. First, urea reacts with water to give the unstable intermediate ammonium carbamate: \( \text{CO(NH}_2\text{)}_2 + \text{H}_2\text{O} \rightarrow \text{NH}_2\text{COONH}_4 \). This carbamate is highly unstable and spontaneously hydrolyses further, \( \text{NH}_2\text{COONH}_4 + \text{H}_2\text{O} \rightarrow (\text{NH}_4)_2\text{CO}_3 \), giving ammonium carbonate. Unlike the fleeting carbamate, ammonium carbonate is comparatively stable and only slowly decomposes to release ammonia and carbon dioxide, which is why it is identified as the stable compound formed during urea hydrolysis.