Question

How are fertilizer obtained from non -renewable sources like petroleum and coal?

Answer 1

Depends on how the term “petroleum” is defined. “Petroleum” in its strictest sense refers only to crude oil, but the term has also been used to refer to other liquid, gaseous, and solid hydrocarbons. Methane (CH4), a gaseous hydrocarbon is used to affix nitrogen to hydrogen and create ammonia (NH3), which is a precursor to creating the fertilizer ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3). So it really depends on how specific the definition of “petroleum” is.