fertilisers Flashcards

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1
Q

why are fertilisers used?

A

to replace the nitrate and phosphate ions lost from harvesting plants for crops from the nitrogen cycle.

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2
Q

what are the 2 types of fertilisers?

A

natural and artificial

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3
Q

natural fertilisers

A

e.g. manure
usually cheap and free if the farmer has animals.

cons- cannot control exact minerals and proportions of these minerals.

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4
Q

artificial fertilisers

A

inorganic compounds created with specific amounts of minerals.

inorganic compounds are more soluble so can dissolve in the water surrounding the soil- plant can take up more nitrate and phosphate ions

cons- high solubility of minerals means they dissolve in rain and large quantities of minerals are lost

environmental impacts- leaching and eutrophication.

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5
Q

leaching

A

water soluble compounds are washed out and into rivers/ponds

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6
Q

eutrophication

A

nitrogen fertilisers are washed from fields and into rivers/ponds
causes growth of algal blooms, which block light
plants below cannot photosynthesise, so they die.
bacteria within the water respire and break down dead plant matter
increase in bacteria- more oxygen within water used for respiration.

eventually, fish and other aquatic organisms die due to lack of dissolved oxygen within the water.

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