Nitric Acid and Ammonium Nitrate

Nitric acid is a very important chemical: it is used to make explosives, plastics and medicinal drugs. It is mainly used in the production of fertilisers that can be used to help plants grow. In industry you make nitric acid by carrying out two chemical reactions, the first reaction produces nitrogen monoxide :   1. first of all ammonia reacts with oxygen in the air 2. the ammonia and oxygen pass over a hot catalyst made of platinum 3. this first reaction produces hot nitrogen monoxide   The second chemical reaction uses the nitrogen monoxide to produce nitric acid:   4. the nitrogen monoxide is cooled down 5. as it cools it reacts with oxygen in the air to make nitrogen dioxide 6. the nitrogen dioxide then reacts with water and more oxygen to make nitric acid   Nitric acid is a molecule that is made out of five atoms: three atoms of oxygen; one atom of nitrogen; and one atom of hydrogen. the chemical equation for nitric acid is: HNO3

 

Now fill in these missing words ...

To make nitric acid you have to carry out chemical reactions. The first reaction is when reacts with oxygen. A catalyst made of is used and monoxide gas is produced.
The nitrogen monoxide then reacts with oxygen and water to make acid.

You have had tries to get this right

---

Ammonium Nitrate

If nitric acid is mixed with ammonia then a chemical called ammonium nitrate is produced. Ammonium nitrate is used as a fertiliser to help crops grow - this is very useful for farmers who may grow many different types of plant. Ammonium nitrate is often called NITRAM for short. Nitram fertiliser can create problems as well. If the fertiliser is washed into rivers it can get into our drinking water supplies. Fertilisers can also cause rivers to become clogged with slimy, green plants called algae.

 

Now answer these questions ...

To make nitric acid you have to carry out how many reactions ? 1 2 3 4

Ammonia reacts with oxygen to make what ? nitrogen oxygen nitrogen monoxide carbon monoxide

What type of catalyst is used ? platinum gold iron silver

What temperature is the catalyst ? room temperature very hot body temperature very cold

Nitrogen monoxide reacts with water and oxygen to make what ? Nitric acid Nitrous oxide Sulphuric acid Hydrochloric acid

If you mix nitric acid with ammonia, what do you get ? silver nitrate nitrous acid ammonium sulphate ammonium nitrate

What is the short name for ammonium nitrate ? ammo bob nitram nitro

What is the main use of ammonium nitrate ? house paint fertiliser cattle food deoderant

Fertilisers help what grow ? sheep curly hair toenails plants

Fertilisers can cause what to grow in rivers ? big fish algae tomatoes shrimps

You scored out of 10 on that test