Question

What is synthetic fertilizer? What are the major nutrients in it? State names and molecular formula of four synthetic fertilisers. State advantages and disadvantages of synthetic fertilizers.

Answer 1

Synthetic Fertilizers are “Man made” inorganic compounds - usually derived from by-products of the petroleum industry.

Major nutrients are Ammonium Nitrate, Ammonium Phosphate, Superphosphate, and Potassium Sulfate.

Four synthetic fertilisers are:-

1.Ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3).

2.calcium ammonium nitrate (Ca(NO3)2 • NH4 • 10H2O).

3.urea

4.phosphogypsum (CaSO4 • 2H2O)

Synthetic fibres advantages.

Cheap. Costs about 2/3s less than natural fertilizers.

Easy to spread. Typically in pellet, marble or liquid form.

Deliver nutrients to plants ASAP. Designed to quickly break down…resulting in near immediate positive results.

Manufactured to deliver the precise ratio of nutrients.

Synthetic Fertilizer: disadvantages

Grow plants, but don’t enrich surrounding soil

Discourage plants from building strong roots

Don’t support micro-biological growth in soil.