Question

The starting materials in the industrial process for making ammonia are?

1) N₂ and H₂
2) N₂ and O₂
3) NO₃⁻ and H₂
4) NO₃⁻ and O₂

Answer 1

The starting materials for producing ammonia industrially, via the Haber process, are nitrogen (N₂) and hydrogen (H₂).

Step-by-step explanation:

The starting materials in the industrial process for making ammonia are N₂ and H₂. The Haber process, named after the German chemist Fritz Haber, is the industrial method used to produce ammonia.

The reactants of this chemical process are nitrogen (N₂), obtained from the air, and hydrogen (H₂), typically derived from natural gas (CH₄). The balanced chemical equation for the reaction is: N₂(g) + 3H₂(g) ⇒ 2NH₃(g).

Ammonia (NH₃) is a crucial compound used as a feedstock for producing various nitrogen fertilizers, such as anhydrous ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) and urea (CO(NH₂)₂). Therefore, the correct answer to the question is option 1) N₂ and H₂.