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Chem 111

The article discusses Fritz Haber's dual legacy, highlighting his nitrogen-fixing process that significantly increased crop yields while also contributing to chemical warfare during World War I. It explains the importance of nitrogen for plant growth and details Haber's combination of hydrogen and nitrogen gases to produce ammonia, a key component of modern fertilizers. Ultimately, the article presents an ethical dilemma regarding whether Haber's contributions to agriculture outweigh the suffering caused by his involvement in chemical warfare.

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fasisal2000
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9 views1 page

Chem 111

The article discusses Fritz Haber's dual legacy, highlighting his nitrogen-fixing process that significantly increased crop yields while also contributing to chemical warfare during World War I. It explains the importance of nitrogen for plant growth and details Haber's combination of hydrogen and nitrogen gases to produce ammonia, a key component of modern fertilizers. Ultimately, the article presents an ethical dilemma regarding whether Haber's contributions to agriculture outweigh the suffering caused by his involvement in chemical warfare.

Uploaded by

fasisal2000
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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1. What was the main thesis of the article?

a. The main thesis of The Tragedy of Fritz Haber is about Fritz Haber’s
findings both good and bad; by discovering the nitrogen-fixing process he
was able to save many, however, his creation also caused chemical warfare
and thus prolonging World War I, thus causing the death of many.
2. Very briefly: Why do plants need nitrogen to grow? What was the source of
nitrogen before Haber's discovery?
a. Nitrogen is an essential element in the creation of plant cell walls. The
article mentioned that the number of crops grown is directly related to
how much nitrogen can be provided. The main sources of nitrogen before
Haber’s discovery were seaweed, manure, and guano.
3. Haber was able to combine hydrogen gas and nitrogen gas to make what? Write
the equation and classify it as one of the types of reactions (combination,
decomposition etc...). You probably never thought fertilizer was this
important!
a. Haber combined hydrogen gas (H2) and nitrogen gas (N2) to make
ammonia (NH3) because the nitrogen atoms split apart as they bonded
with the three hydrogen atoms. This ultimately produced liquid fertilizer.
The equation is: N2(g) + 3 H2(g) à 2 NH3(g). This equation would be
classified as a combination reaction because it combines two reactants and
forms a singular product.
4. What did you learn from article?
a. Something interesting I learned from this article is that Haber’s discovery is
still used in the modern world today; because 100 million tons of synthetic
fertilizer is created each year through his method. Also the nitrogen found
in us is from the Haber method itself.

5. Read this quote: "To this day, historians are torn on how to judge Fritz Haber.
Billions of people would not exist without him. And yet without him, World War
I would have ended years earlier" Do you think Haber's contributions outweigh
the sufferings that was caused by his use of chemical weapons?
a. This question poses an ethical dilemma. Although Haber’s method saved
many, it also led to a chemical warfare. This was extremely detrimental as it
killed many. However, I do think that his invention is greatly applicable in
today’s modern world and is very widely used. All in all, I do believe his
contributions do unfortunately outweigh the sufferings caused by the use
of chemical weapons.

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