Fertilisers Flashcards
What are the 3 essential elements needed by plants?
- Nitrogen
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
What are the symptoms of nitrogen deficiency in plants?
- Poor growth
- Yellow leaves
What are the symptoms of phosphorus deficiency?
- Poor root growth
- Discoloured leaves
What are the symptoms of potassium deficiency?
- Poor fruit growth
- Discoloured leaves
What are fertilisers?
substances that replace the elements used by plants as they grow
In what form can plants absorb elements in fertilisers?
water-soluble
What is the water-soluble form of nitrogen?
- Nitrate ions
- Ammonium ions
What is the water-soluble form of phosphorus?
phosphate ions
What is the water-soluble form of potassium?
potassium ions
What are NPK fertilisers?
Fertilisers that provide nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in water-soluble compounds
What does the Haber process do?
manufactures ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen
What is the balanced symbol equation for the Haber process?
N2(g) + 3H2(g) ⇌ 2NH3(g)
How many tonnes of ammonia are manufactured in the world each year?
150 million
What are the raw materials needed for the Haber process?
- Air
- Natural gas
- Steam
How is nitrogen sourced for the Haber process?
manufactured by the fractional distillation of liquified air
How is hydrogen sourced for the Haber process?
reacting natural gas with steam
What are the compounds found in fertilisers?
- Ammonium nitrate – NH4NO3
- Ammonium sulfate – (NH4)2SO4
- Ammonium phosphate – (NH4)3PO4
- Potassium nitrate – KNO3
