Abstract
During this exercise, students will learn that ammonium nitrate is used as a fertilizer and an explosive. They will study the chemistry of ammonium nitrate and consider the advantages and disadvantages of this compound. The dual nature of Ammonium Nitrate was illustrated by the Grandcamp disaster in 1947.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Compare different fertilizers and understand their world wide use.
- Calculate the molar mass and percent nitrogen in the different fertilizers.
National Science Education Standard
Content Standard D: The Physical Setting
The structure of Matter
The configuration of atoms in a molecule determines the molecule's properties.
Strand 5: Physical Science
Concept 4: Chemical Reactions
Investigate relationships between reactants and products in chemical reactions.
PO 6. Solve problems involving such quantities as moles, mass, molecules, volume of a gas, and molarity using the mole concept and Avogadro’s number.
Teacher Background
Fertilizers are added to the soil to increase the vital nutrients that support plant growth. Nitrogen is the most important of these nutrients.
Related and Resource Websites
The Mole Table of Contents http://dbhs.wvusd.k12.ca.us/webdocs/Mole/Mole.html
PULSE Resource Page on Fertilizers http://pulse.pharmacy.arizona.edu/resources/fertilizers/teachers.htm
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