The effectiveness of nitrogen fertilizers depends on both their ability to deliver nitrogen to plants and the amount of nitrogen they can deliver. Four common nitrogen-containing fertilizers are ammonia, ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, and urea [(NH2)2CO] Rank these fertilizers in terms of the mass percentage nitrogen they contain.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the chemical formula for each fertilizer: ammonia (NH3), ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3), ammonium sulfate ((NH4)2SO4), and urea ((NH2)2CO).
2. Calculate the molar mass of each fertilizer by adding the atomic masses of all atoms in the formula.
3. Determine the total mass of nitrogen in each fertilizer by summing the atomic masses of nitrogen atoms present in the formula.
4. Calculate the mass percentage of nitrogen for each fertilizer using the formula: (mass of nitrogen / molar mass of fertilizer) * 100%.
5. Compare the mass percentages of nitrogen for each fertilizer to rank them from highest to lowest.

Key Concepts

Molar Mass Calculation

To determine the mass percentage of nitrogen in fertilizers, one must first calculate the molar mass of each compound. This involves summing the atomic masses of all atoms in the chemical formula. For example, in ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3), the molar mass is calculated by adding the masses of nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms present in the formula.

Mass Percentage Formula

The mass percentage of an element in a compound is calculated using the formula: (mass of the element in 1 mole of the compound / molar mass of the compound) x 100%. This formula allows for the quantification of how much of the compound's mass is contributed by a specific element, in this case, nitrogen.

Types of Nitrogen Fertilizers

Different nitrogen fertilizers contain varying forms of nitrogen, which can affect their mass percentage. For instance, ammonia (NH3) contains nitrogen in a gaseous form, while urea [(NH2)2CO] contains nitrogen in an organic form. Understanding the chemical structure and composition of each fertilizer is essential for accurately ranking them based on nitrogen content.