C2

Reversible Reactions & The Haber Process

 Most chemical A few reactions go both
reactions only ‘go’ ways. These are called
one way. ‘REVERSIBLE’

Reactants Products Reactants Products

 HAND WARMERS USE A REVERSIBLE REACTION
These are plastic bags containing
sodium acetate crystals in solution.
1. Put bag in hot water for a few
minutes and the cloudy liquid goes
clear as the crystals dissolve
2. Let it cool down
3. Click the metal disc inside and the
clear liquid goes cloudy again and
gets HOT.

Click disc

HEAT IN HEAT OUT

ENDOTHERMIC EXOTHERMIC

FORWARD REACTION REVERSE REACTION

In a reversible reaction, the REACTANTS turn into PRODUCTS
AND
the PRODUCTS can be turned back into the REACTANTS

BLUE COPPER WHITE COPPER + WATER

SULPHATE SULPHATE (STEAM)
REACTANT PRODUCTS

FORWARD REVERSE
REACTION REACTION

ENDO- EXO-
THERMIC THERMIC

Heat IN Heat OUT

 Equilibrium
If we make a CLOSED SYSTEM by
preventing any reactants or
products escaping….

White copper The RATE of the FORWARD REACTION

sulphate balances
(PRODUCT)
the RATE of the REVERSE REACTION

So we have both REACTANTS

AND PRODUCTS CONSTANTLY
Water TURNING INTO EACH OTHER
(PRODUCT)

And the system is in EQUILIBRIUM

Blue copper
sulphate
(REACTANT)
 Removal of Product (s)
If we want to make and collect one (or both) of the products
in a reversible reaction, it must be steadily removed from
the system as we go

WATER REMOVED
so REVERSE
REACTION can’t
happen

so PRODUCT
can be collected
Heat IN
 The HABER PROCESS for producing AMMONIA
The production of ammonia is a very important process as it
is used to make fertilizers to grow more food crops.
H
N Ammonia is made from:
H H

• nitrogen, which is removed from the air N N

• hydrogen, made from methane (natural gas) H H

The Haber Process is a reversible reaction where

both reactants and the product are GASES.
 THE REACTION
Production of ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen

H H

N N H H

H H

H
H HH H H
H
N N H HH N N
H H H
H HH H H

N2 + 3H2 2NH3
Nitrogen (g) + hydrogen (g) ammonia (g)
FORWARD REACTION: Hydrogen & Nitrogen make Ammonia

H H

EXOTHERMIC
N N H H

H H

BOTH REACTIONS ARE HAPPENING AT ONCE

REVERSE REACTION: Ammonia makes Hydrogen & Nitrogen

H H

ENDOTHERMIC N N
H H H H
HYDROGEN & hydrogen + ammonia
NITROGEN IN
nitrogen

HYDROGEN
NITROGEN
AMMONIA

UNUSED TEMPERATURE
HYDROGEN & and PRESSURE of
NITROGEN the reaction vessel
RECYCLED
can be controlled

% YIELD =
% AMMONIA in
main reaction
vessel
Mixture cooled here.
AMMONIA condenses
LIQUID
AMMONIA REMOVED
How to make the most ammonia quickly & cheaply ?
We can change 2 conditions inside the reaction vessel:

TEMPERATURE PRESSURE

500°C 500 atmospheres

££ EXPENSIVE ££

££ CHEAP ££

20°C 1 atmosphere
(normal temp) (normal pressure)
 EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE
HYDROGEN
NITROGEN
AMMONIA Because the forward reaction is
COOL HOT exothermic (’releases heat’), the % YIELD
of ammonia is GREATER at LOWER
TEMPERATURES
(The ammonia molecules tend to split
up again at high temps)

So it would seem that the temperature needs to be LOW……

BUT… LOW TEMPERATURES make the rate of reaction

SLOW so you would have to wait a long time…

So a higher temperature (450°C) is actually used to make the

ammonia FASTER even though the yield is lower.
 HYDROGEN
EFFECT OF PRESSURE NITROGEN
H
H HH H H AMMONIA
H
H HH N N
N N H H H H
H H
H H
4 molecules 2 molecules

Because the FORWARD reaction produces a SMALLER

NUMBER OF MOLECULES, a HIGHER PRESSURE makes a
LARGER YIELD of AMMONIA

BUT using a HIGH PRESSURE means much stronger and

MORE EXPENSIVE pipes and reaction vessels are needed.

So.. a MEDIUM PRESSURE of 200 atmospheres is used.

 A COMPROMISE solution
IRON 100%
200°C
CATALYST

Yield of ammonia
used to speed 80%
300°C
reaction up
further 60%
400°C
40% 450°C
500°C
Gives 20%
about 30%
yield 0% 450°C and
0 100 200 300 400 500 200 atmos.
Pressure (atmospheres)
TEMP:LOW enough for a reasonable yield but HIGH enough for
a fast reaction
PRESSURE: LOW enough to not need expensive reinforced
apparatus but HIGH enough to give a reasonable yield