Final answer:
The production of ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen, known as the Haber process, is challenging because nitrogen is unreactive due to its strong triple bond. High temperatures, pressures, and a catalyst are required to increase the yield of ammonia, which is a significant industrial chemical used as a fertilizer and in nitric acid production.
Step-by-step explanation:
The industrial-scale production of ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen presented a difficult challenge primarily because nitrogen is extremely unreactive. This is due to the strong triple bond between the two nitrogen atoms in the diatomic nitrogen molecule (N₂), which takes a significant amount of energy to break. The transformation of these gases into ammonia (NH₃) is known as the Haber process, which requires high temperatures, high pressures, and the use of a catalyst to occur at a practical rate.
Ammonia production is essential as it serves as a fertilizer and is also used in the production of nitric acid. Large quantities of hydrogen, which react with nitrogen in this process, are needed for the manufacture of ammonia and for the process of hydrogenation in organic chemistry. Therefore, two-thirds of the world's hydrogen production is devoted to the creation of ammonia.
To increase the yield of ammonia in the Haber process, it is common to increase the pressure on the system where nitrogen, hydrogen, and ammonia are at equilibrium or are coming to equilibrium. This adjustment helps to push the reaction towards the formation of more ammonia, increasing the industrial efficiency of the process.