All plants need nitrogen to survive, but it is naturally available to them in only limited supplies. In 1909, engineers developed a process to make nitrogen available to plants by synthetically producing the chemical ammonia. Once produced, ammonia could be used as a fertilizer for crops around the world thanks to its nitrogen content.

Question

The process that the engineers developed is still used today. It makes use of the reaction between nitrogen gas and hydrogen gas at very high pressures. Nitrogen gas is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere and is widely available. Hydrogen gas needs to be made from the methane found in natural gas. Natural gas is a fossil fuel that can be extracted from underground reserves.

What natural resources are used to make ammonia fertilizers?

Answer 1

To make ammonia fertilizers, the primary natural resources used are:

1. Nitrogen gas (N₂): This is obtained from the atmosphere, as nitrogen is the most abundant gas in the air, making it widely available for the Haber-Bosch process used to synthesize ammonia.

2. Hydrogen gas (H₂): Hydrogen is typically produced from methane (CH₄), which is a component of natural gas. The extraction of natural gas from underground reserves provides the methane, which can be converted into hydrogen through processes such as steam methane reforming.

In summary, the key natural resources for producing ammonia fertilizers are atmospheric nitrogen and natural gas (for methane).