Inorganic Chemistry #8: Nitrogen (Slides and Student Led Tasks)

LESSON OBJECTIVE: Understand the properties and uses of nitrogen and ammonia.

In this lesson we investigate Nitrogen, the formation of its oxides, the Haber process to synthesise ammonia and the use of ammonium salts as fertilizers. This is lesson eight in our inorganic chemistry series for Unit 13: Nitrogen and sulfur (from the Cambridge International AS Chemistry Curriculum (9701) 2019-2021 curriculum).

Learning Outcomes:
(taken from the Cambridge International AS and A Level Chemistry (9701) 2019-2021 curriculum)
13.1 Nitrogen
a) explain the lack of reactivity of nitrogen

b) describe and explain:
ii) the basicity of ammonia
iii) the structure of the ammonium ion and its formation by an acid-base reaction
iii) the displacement of ammonia from its salts

c) state the industrial importance of ammonia and nitrogen compounds derived from ammonia

d) state and explain the environmental consequences of the uncontrolled use of nitrate fertilisers

e) state and explain the natural and man-made occurrences of oxides of nitrogen and their catalytic removal from the exhaust gases of internal combustion engines

f) explain why atmospheric oxides of nitrogen are pollutants, including their catalytic role in the oxidation of atmospheric sulfur dioxide