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NH3
Ammonium Nitrate
In the first part of the twentieth century the Worlds ability
to produce food to feed an expanding population was in
doubt.
Fertilisers with a source of nitrogen were known, such as
caliche nitrates from South America, but these were getting
expenses as resources ran out. Also, the concentration of
nitrogen in these minerals was low.
Percentage Composition
Element
Ar
Mg
Na
N
O
H
24.3
23.1
14.0
16.0
1.0
Mg(NO3)2
NaNO3
NH4NO3
Mg(NO3)2
NaNO3
NH4NO3
Mass N
28.0
14.0
28.0
Mr
148.3
85.1
80.0
% composition
18.9
16.5
35.0
ammonia
dissolves in water
to make
ammonium hydroxide
(= ammonia solution)
nitric acid
N2(g) + 3H2(g)
Carl Bosch
2NH3(g)
Hydrogen
Produced in the reaction
of methane and steam.
Henri Louis
Le Chatelier
N2(g) + 3H2(g)
2NH3(g)
Exothermic in the
forward direction
-92 kJ mol-1
N2(g) + 3H2(g)
Pressure:
Temperature:
Catalyst:
200 atm
450oC
Iron
2NH3(g)
Exothermic in the
forward direction
-92 kJ mol-1
Ammonium hydroxide
Ammonia dissolves in water to make ammonium hydroxide
NH3(g) + H2O(l)
NH4OH(aq)
NH3(g) + H2O(l)
NH4+(aq) + OH-
(aq)
4NH3(g) + 5O2(g)
4NO(g) + 6H2O(g)
2NO(g) + O2(g)
2NO2(g)
4HNO3(aq)
NH4NO3(aq) + H2O(l)