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Chemistry of Fertilizer (cont.) |
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IV.The
Basis of Fertilizer
Fertilizer's chemistry all rests on a central equation, called the N-P-K equation. The letters denote the three macronutrients of fertilizer, which are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. However, these elements are arranged in different concentrations within this equation, depending on which type of fertilizer you are referring to. The N-P-K equation represents the percent concentrations of the three elements. These elements, however, aren't in their elemental form, except for the nitrogen. The potassium is an anhydride of phosphoric acid, meaning that it is lacking the hydrogen (P2O5). The potassium is actually potassium oxide (K2O).
For example, consider fertilizer with a N-P-K code of 8-32-16. The formula denotes 8% of elemental nitrogen, 32% phosphoric acid, and 16% potassium oxide. The other remaining percentage is made up of water and other the other nutrients like the secondary elements and the microelements.
V.
Extracting Components of the N-P-K
The
three components of the N-P-K base, however, must be created in order
for use to produce fertilizer products. Extracting Nitrogen
The main source of nitrogen is found in ammonia (NH3+), 82% of which is made up of nitrogen. Originally created during World War I by the German army in the development of chemical weapons, it is now produced as an essential component of fertilizer. Two Germans scientists, Fritz Haber and Walther Bosch developed a means of producing ammonia later known as the Haber-Bosch process, illustrated as:
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The resulting result was ammonia, to be used for fertilizer. This reaction took place as a result of a catalyzing amount of iron and aluminum added to the reaction. Thus, the use of these metals is essential to the production of ammonia. It is therefore required for the colonists on Arda to have access to metal containers, such as those being researched by the metals group.
Figure 2: Illustrated Summary of the Haber-Bosch Process
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