Another “grand challenge” for engineering is managing the nitrogen cycle. Use the nature of the chemical bond in diatomic nitrogen to explain why any management is needed for this biogeochemical cycle. With so much nitrogen available in the atmosphere, why are engineering solutions needed to manage nitrogen for agricultural uses?
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To understand why managing the nitrogen cycle is necessary, let's start with the nature of the chemical bond in diatomic nitrogen (N2). Nitrogen gas (N2) makes up about 78% of Earth's atmosphere, making it the most abundant gas. However, despite its abundance, N2 is highly stable due to the triple bond between the two nitrogen atoms, which requires a substantial amount of energy to break.
While plants and animals require nitrogen to grow and thrive, they cannot directly utilize atmospheric nitrogen. The triple bond in N2 makes it chemically unreactive, meaning plants and most organisms are unable to assimilate nitrogen from the air. Consequently, the nitrogen available in the atmosphere is largely inaccessible for biological processes.
To overcome this natural limitation, the Haber-Bosch process was developed as an engineering solution. This process enables the production of synthetic fertilizers by converting atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia (NH3). Ammonia, in turn, can be further processed to create various nitrogen-rich fertilizers that can be easily used by plants for growth.
However, the widespread use of synthetic fertilizers has led to several environmental concerns. Firstly, excessive use of nitrogen fertilizers in agriculture can result in nitrogen runoff into water bodies, leading to water pollution and eutrophication. Additionally, the release of nitrogen compounds from fertilizers contributes to air pollution, including the formation of greenhouse gases and smog.
Managing the nitrogen cycle involves finding a balance between providing enough nitrogen for agricultural purposes while minimizing its negative impacts on the environment. This necessitates engineering solutions to develop more sustainable practices, such as precision agriculture, controlled-release fertilizers, and biological nitrogen fixation.
In summary, although nitrogen is abundant in the atmosphere, its triple bond in diatomic nitrogen makes it inaccessible for most organisms to use directly. Engineering solutions are needed to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms for agricultural purposes. However, these solutions should be implemented carefully to manage the nitrogen cycle, minimize environmental impacts, and ensure long-term sustainability.