how does fertilizer develop?

Question

What is in fertilizer? What is in it that helps increase soil fertility? How do you make it?

Answer 1

Making of Fertilizers:

Basically, fertilizers are made from ammonia..I will take you through four stages that are basically followed in order to make ammonia..mind it that I am talking about artificial fertilizers not natural ones like cow dung which is not man-made...Alright then,



STAGE 1: Haber Process



This is a reversible reaction and an exothermic reaction thats used to make Nitrogen and Hydrogen under low temperatures (about 750 degrees celcius) and high pressures (about 30 atmospheres with a catalyst of nickel)..The reaction for this equation is:



N2 + 3H2 <---> 2NH3 (-92kJmol -1)

Nitrogen + Hydrogen <---> Ammonia



Now we have got our ammoina..which is the raw material in the production of fertilizers..Lets move on to the 2nd step...



STAGE 2: Ammonia being converted into Nitrogen Monoxide..



In this stage, we are going to let ammonia (which we got from the Haber process) react with oxygen to form nitrogen monoxide and water..

For this reaction to take place..we need to apply heat and catalyst (not so sure of which catalyst). We need to apply 230 degrees celcius of heat for heating air and ammonia). So, here's the reaction equation for that:



4NH3(g) + 5O2(g) ---> 4NO(g) + 6H20(l)



We've got our Nitrogen monoxide now..so let's move on..





STAGE 3: Converting Nitrogen Monoxide into Nitric Acid



In this reaction we are going to react Nitrogen Monoxide with Oxygen and Steam to obtain Nitric Acid like this:



4NO(g) + 3O2(g) + 2H2O(g) ---> 4NO3(aq)



STAGE 4: Converting this Nitric Acid into Ammonium Nitrate



So, Now nitric acid is going to be reacted with Ammonia (from Haber Process again..) in an addition reaction. Ammonium Nitrate in this case, will be our fertilizer..So, this is the final stage.. Here we go:



NH2(g) + HNO3(aq) ---> NH4NO3(aq)

Ammonia gas + Nitric Acid ---> Ammonium Nitrate!!!





Uses:

The ions these fertilizers contain enrichen the soil very much..Ions like the nitrates and phosphates are absorbed by the plants through osmosis from the soil..These ions then help the plant in various stuff like synthesising the chlorophyll molecule..some like nitrates are converted into plant proteins...



Ok, I guess I have exhausted everything I know about fertilizers...



I really hope it was of some help for u... :)

Answer 2

Fertilizer is essential nutrients for plants. Common fertilizers contain ionic forms of Nitrogen, Potassium, and Phosphorous, and several other minor minerals. These minerals are typically found in all soils, but are limited in quantity, hence the need for adding them.



They are analogous to vitamins for humans.