What is a fertiliser?

A fertiliser is a substance that is applied to soil, in order to supply plants with nutrients.

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How were fertilisers made in the past?

They were made from animal waste, such as cow manure.

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What is a formulated fertiliser?

A formulation is a mixture that has been designed as a useful product. So if we make fertilisers by combining certain chemicals in a specific ratio, then we would call it a formulated fertiliser.

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What are 3 main elements in fertilisers?

  1. Nitrogen (N).
  2. Phosphorus (P).
  3. Potassium (K).

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What compounds can ammonia be used to manufacture?

Ammonia can be used to manufacture ammonium salts and nitric acid.

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How is phosphate rock used as fertiliser?

Phosphate rock is treated with nitric acid, sulfuric acid, or phosphoric acid, to produce soluble salts that can be used as fertilisers.

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What happens when phosphate rock reacts with nitric acid?

It produces phosphoric acid + calcium nitrate.

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What happens when phosphate rock reacts with sulfuric acid?

It produces a mixture of calcium sulfate and calcium phosphate.


This mixture is known as 'single superphosphate'.

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What happens when phosphate rock reacts with phosphoric acid?

It produces calcium phosphate, known as 'triple superphosphate'.

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Which components of NPK fertilisers are obtained by mining?

  1. Potassium chloride.
  2. Potassium sulfate.
  3. Phosphate rock.

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