Ammonia - Haber Process question (1 Viewer)

[thekooldude]

Explain the effect of cooling the ammonia on the yield of the reaction. Use the following boiling point data in your answer:

N2: -196 degrees Celsius, H2: -253 degrees Celsius, NH3: -33 degrees Celsius

 

[get_back23]

my guess would be if temperatures lower than the boiling point, the elements will be in liquid form.

For example, cooled ammonia before -33 degrees will result in condensation of NH3(g)-> NH3(l) which means the liquid form of ammonia is harder to remove in the reaction vessel.
Without continued removal of product, according lechatelier, will result in less yield


Decrease in temperature also increases yield of the haber process as it is an exothermic reaction

 

[golgo13]

Refering to le chatelier, the habber process is in equilibrium and since the products and reactants are gases they are affected by both pressure and temperature. Now the reasoing for cooling Ammonia at the end of the proccess turns the gas to a liquid which removes it from the process, thus there is a difference in concentration in the system causing the equilibrium to shift to the right creating more ammonia.

To answer the second part, the yeild will gain a greater percentage, but the time taken would be longer, thus you refer to the habber process where there is a compromise
I hope that is comprehensive enough