Nitrogen and Sulfur

Explain why nitrogen gas is so unreactive.

Explain why oxides of nitrogen can be produced by internal combustion engines.

State and explain, using a suitable equation, how oxides of nitrogen produced by internal combustion engines can be prevented from reaching the atmosphere.

State the role of nitrogen dioxide, $\text{NO}_2$, in the formation of acid rain by oxides of sulfur.
Write suitable equations to explain this role.

role: ......................................................................................................................................

equation 1: ...........................................................................................................................

equation 2: ...........................................................................................................................

Suggest an equation to show how $\text{NO}_2$ can contribute directly to acid rain.

Explain how the uncontrolled use of nitrate fertilisers on land can lead to a severe reduction in water quality in rivers.

The uncontrolled use of nitrogenous fertilisers can cause environmental damage to lakes and streams. This is known as eutrophication.

What are the processes that occur when excessive amounts of nitrogenous fertilisers get into lakes and streams?

Large quantities of ammonia are manufactured by the Haber process.
Not all of this ammonia is used to make fertilisers.
State one large-scale use for ammonia, other than in the production of nitrogenous fertilisers.

Write a balanced equation, with state symbols, for the reaction occurring in the Haber process.

Give three essential operating conditions that are used in the Haber process.

State one large scale use of ammonia.

Give the formulae of the two reactants that are heated together to produce ammonia.

Construct a balanced equation for the reaction between your two reagents.

Common drying agents include calcium oxide, concentrated sulfuric acid and phosphorus(V) oxide.

Which one of these would be used in the drying tower in this experiment? Explain your answer.

Ammonia is a weak base which forms salts containing the ammonium ion.

Describe, with the aid of an equation, the formation and structure of the ammonium ion. You should use displayed formulae in your answer.

Write a balanced equation, with state symbols, for the reaction occurring in the Haber process.

Give three essential operating conditions that are used in the Haber process.

State one large scale use of ammonia.

Give the formulae of the two reactants that are heated together to produce ammonia.

Construct a balanced equation for the reaction between your two reagents.

Common drying agents include calcium oxide, concentrated sulfuric acid and phosphorus(V) oxide.

Which one of these would be used in the drying tower in this experiment? Explain your answer.

Ammonia is a weak base which forms salts containing the ammonium ion.

Describe, with the aid of an equation, the formation and structure of the ammonium ion. You should use displayed formulae in your answer.

Explain why high levels of $\text{SO}_2$ may be found in the atmosphere near power stations that burn fossil fuels.

Describe how $\text{NO}_2$ is also produced by these power stations.

State one natural cause of $\text{NO}_2$ being formed in the atmosphere.

Explain why $\text{NO}_2$ can be described as a catalyst in the oxidation of atmospheric $\text{SO}_2$.

Write an equation for the formation of ammonia in the Haber process.

State one large-scale use for ammonia, other than in the production of nitrogenous fertilisers.

The uncontrolled use of nitrogenous fertilisers can cause environmental damage to lakes and streams. This is known as ‘eutrophication’.

What are the processes that occur when excessive amounts of nitrogenous fertilisers get into lakes and streams?

Outline how each of these pollutants may be formed in an internal combustion engine.

$\text{CO}$: $\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots$

$\text{NO}$: $\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots$

State the main hazard associated with each of these pollutants.

$\text{CO}$: $\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots$

$\text{NO}$: $\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots\dots$

What metal is most commonly used as the catalyst in a catalytic converter?

Construct one balanced equation for the reaction in which both $\text{CO}$ and $\text{NO}$ are removed from the exhaust gases by a catalytic converter.

Explain why nitrogen is inert.

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Explain why the reaction of $\text{N}_2$ and $\text{O}_2$ occurs during lightning strikes.

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Write two equations to suggest how the NO formed reacts further to create nitric acid, $\text{HNO}_3$.

1 ..........................................................................................................................................

2 ..........................................................................................................................................

Nitrate fertilisers are used to provide nitrogen for plant growth. Uncontrolled use of these can cause a reduction in animal and plant life in natural water supplies.

Explain how uncontrolled use of nitrate fertilisers can cause this problem.

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When calcium hydroxide reacts with compounds containing the ammonium ion, $\text{NH}_4^+$, a gas is produced.

State the identity of this gas and explain why the reaction occurs.

gas ......................................................................................................................................

explanation .........................................................................................................................

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State one large-scale use for ammonia, other than in the production of nitrogenous fertilisers.

The uncontrolled use of nitrogenous fertilisers can cause environmental damage to lakes and streams. This is known as ‘eutrophication’.

What are the processes that occur when excessive amounts of nitrogenous fertilisers get into lakes and streams?

Outline how each of these pollutants may be formed in an internal combustion engine.

• CO: ............................................................................................................................
• NO: ............................................................................................................................

State the main hazard associated with each of these pollutants.

• CO: ....................................................................
• NO: ....................................................................

What metal is most commonly used as the catalyst in a catalytic converter?

Construct one balanced equation for the reaction in which both $\text{CO}$ and $\text{NO}$ are removed from the exhaust gases by a catalytic converter.

Nitrogen and oxygen do not react at normal atmospheric temperatures.

Explain why.

Nitrogen oxides can be formed naturally in the Earth's atmosphere from nitrogen and oxygen in the air.

State one way that nitrogen oxides are produced naturally.

Explain why $\text{NO}_2$ is described as a homogeneous catalyst.

Write equations which describe the two reactions occurring when $\text{NO}_2$ acts as a catalyst in the formation of sulfur trioxide from sulfur dioxide.

Explain why nitrogen is inert.

Write two equations to suggest how the $\text{NO}$ formed reacts further to create nitric acid, $\text{HNO}_3$.

1 ..........................................................................................................................................

2 ..........................................................................................................................................

Nitrate fertilisers are used to provide nitrogen for plant growth. Uncontrolled use of these can cause a reduction in animal and plant life in natural water supplies.

Explain how uncontrolled use of nitrate fertilisers can cause this problem.

When calcium hydroxide reacts with compounds containing the ammonium ion, $\text{NH}_4^+$, a gas is produced.

State the identity of this gas and explain why the reaction occurs.

gas ......................................................................................................................................

explanation .........................................................................................................................