CHEMISTRY REVISION

IMPORTANT CHEMICALS
AMMONIA
Ammonia is made from the reaction of nitrogen and hydrogen which is a reversible.
Industrially this is called the Haber Process with them being reacted in the presence
of an iron catalyst, at 350-450C and under high pressure (150-200 atmospheres).
N2(g) + 3H2(g) 2NH3(g)
The reaction of hydrogen and nitrogen is exothermic therefore at higher
temperatures the backwards reaction is favoured. This means the best yield is made
at low temperatures, but then rate of reaction is too slow to be economical. The
Haber Process therefore is carried out at a higher temperature, sufficient yield is
produced but at adequate rate. It is operated at high pressure because rate is
increased but increasing the pressure more would increase cost and not be
economical. To further increase the rate a catalyst is also used but this becomes
poisoned so is replaced every few years which entails shutting down the plant.
The yield of ammonia in the Haber process is low but this can be tolerated because
unreacted hydrogen and nitrogen are recycled. This is done when reaction mixture is
cooled so the ammonia condenses and leaves them behind. Nitric acid can be
produced by the catalytic oxidation (using platinum/ rhodium) of ammonia in air.

FERTILISERS
Plants require nitrogen to make the protein for growth. The soil on which crops are
grown must be fertilised to provide enough for healthy growth. However, the supply
of organic fertilisers (compost and manure) is inadequate to demand. Manufactured
salts containing nitrogen (e.g. from the reaction of the alkali ammonia with acids as it
is a gas at room temperature in its pure form) have to be used as fertiliser instead.
They are spread on the soil and release nitrogen when dissolved in rain water.
Manufactured fertilisers allow intensive farming enabling farmers to produce large
yields. This keeps down the price of food. However, they are water soluble so can be
washed by rain into rivers and lakes. This nitrate pollution can also cause excessive
growth of algae and other plants which, when they die, are decomposed by bacteria.
The bacteria use up the dissolved oxygen so no other life can survive. This is called
eutrophication. It can also result in the loss of habitats, threatening biodiversity.

SULPHURIC ACID
Sulphuric acid is produced industrially by the Contact Process in three stages:
Sulphur is burned in air to make sulphur dioxide: S (s) + O2(g) SO2(g)
This is oxidised to make sulphur trioxide in a reversible reaction at 400-450C,
slightly above atmospheric pressure and catalysed by vanadium oxide, V 2O5:
2SO2(g) + O2(g) 2SO3(g) (the forward reaction is exothermic)
Sulphur trioxide gas is combined with water but this forms an acid mist so it is
absorbed it in concentrated sulphuric acid (containing 2% water) to avoid this
(giving the very corrosive form fuming sulphuric acid or oleum)

The forward reaction in stage two is exothermic therefore at higher temperatures the
backwards reaction is favoured. This means that the best yield is made at lower
temperatures, but then rate of reaction is too slow to be economically viable.
Therefore the Contact Process carried out at a higher temperature, sufficient yield is
produced but at adequate rate. To further increase the rate of reaction a catalyst is
also used.
Concentrated sulfuric acid is a dehydrating agent meaning it removes water from
substances in which the elements of water are chemically combined. For example,
on adding it to blue copper(II) sulphate crystals, they are dehydrated to form white,
anhydrous copper(II) sulphate: CuSO4.5H2O CuSO4 (+ 5H2O absorbed by the
acid). Carbohydrates also react with concentrated sulphuric acid in a very
exothermic reaction. Removing the elements of water from the carbohydrate leaves
elemental carbon. For example with glucose: C 6H12O6 6C (+ 6H2O absorbed by
the acid).