FERTILISER
Based on “Delilah” by Tom Jones
(and anyone who’s ever done karaoke)
Original words and music by Les Reed and Barry Mason
It’s exothermic – low temperatures mean yield increases,
High pressures favour the reaction that goes forward:
By Le Chatelier,
Minimise change, and the equilibrium’s restored.
My, my fertiliser,
Why, why, fertiliser:
We can see Fritz Haber made NH3,
From 3H2 and one nitrogen, reversibly!
Increase the temperature, though, or it goes far too slowly,
And really high pressure plants are expensive to build;
And iron oxide
Catalyses the reaction – but won’t change the yield.
My, my fertiliser,
Why, why, fertiliser,
600 K,
And 50 (or so) MPa –
So it’s a compromise, and it all works out okay!
(instrumental)
By Le Chatelier,
Minimise change, and the equilibrium’s restored.
My, my fertiliser,
Why, why, fertiliser:
We can see Fritz Haber made NH3,
From 3H2 and one nitrogen, reversibly!
From 3H2 and one nitrogen, reversibly!
© Aimee Hartnell, April 2003