AS
the,worK population keeps
more food
is
needed to feed more and more people. At the beginning
of
the twentitth
growing,
century farmers used natural fertilisers
such
as manure, compost and even bird droppings to help grow
. healthy arid
food
plentiful
increased
crops. However, as the demand for
the
farmers
amounts of fertilisers
Scientists
began
chemical fertilisers
to grow sufficient
to
research
to
make
how
they
fertilisers
a starting
needed
vast
food for everyone.
they
to help feed the growing
order to make chemical
needed
realised
could
make
population.
In
they realised that they
material
called
ammonia.
Ammoniais a compoundwith the formulaNH3.
In 1900 the traditional
was difficult
method
and expensive.
Fritz Habet.
for making
As well as being used to make fertilisers,
also used to make explosives.
uses in times
ammonia
However, by 1908, a brilliant
tunnelling,
Explosives
of peace such as mining,
quarrying
as well as the Haber process being responsible for feeding
to make ammonia.
many deaths in the two world wars.
elements
nitrogen
process
that
Combining
and hydrogen
became
known
elements together
directly
as the
combining
the
together
in a
Haber
process.
nitrogen
materials from. For his supply of
he took the nitrogen
chemist
Fritz Haber was born in 1868 in Germany and he studied
Haber's method for making ammonia was cheap because
gotrJhisraw
The patriotic
for many,
directly to make a compound
is known as 'direct synthesis'.
of where he
and
but they are also used in war. This means that
millions of people it also has some responsibility
involved
gas out of the air. For his
science
in
Berlin.
respected scientists
By 1912
he was one of
in the country
of one of the most important
the
most
and he was made head
scientific
centres. One of the
supply of hydrogen he used water or natural gas. All these
first things
he was asked to do was to work on a safety
starting materials were plentiful
device
detect
and cheap. Haber knew that
to
dangerous
nitrogen and hydrogen would not react if he just mixed them
approached Haber, like scientists
together. He used his understanding
asked to think
the necessary conditions
is
have important
German chemist called Fritz Haber discovered a cheap way
His method
ammonia
of chemistry to work out
that had to be used to make the
gases
As war
about how science could be used to help
chemical reaction occur. He realised that high pressure, high
into
temperature
chemicals could be used to win the war.
and a substance called a catalyst were needed.
mines.
in France and Britain, was
win the war. The German government
chemical
in
warfare.
This
meant
asked Haber to look
looking
at
how
)Chemicals
for
food
Troops gassed bymustard
- and
bombs!
gas during
the First World W(7/:
The Russians
against
their
had already
enemies,
the early months
use chlorine
as a poisonous
the
spring,
enemy
using
poisonous
gases
but they had been unsuccessful.
of the First World
in the cold winter
following
tried
In
War they had tried to
gas against
the Germans.
But
the gas had just sunk into the snow. The
when
was far
the weather
away,
the
was warm
again, and
gas reappeared
from
the
ground!
Haber's
Haber's
task
poisonous
poison
released
Haber's apparatus
formaking
ammonia.
against
Isuccesses'
was
gases
onto
the German
5000
French
to
look
the
soldiers.
cylinders
at
enemy
In April
of the
and Canadian
how
he
successfully
1915,
poisonous
troops.
could
the
release
and
not
Germans
gas, chlorine,
This time
it worked
Chemicals for food - and bombsi
with
awful
one third
consequences.
of these
same battle,
the
working
and developed
German
that
little
that
fatal.
they
to work on developing
one known
as mustard
in the
gases against
too
had
been
gas attacks
would
not
Sadly, Haber's wife
poisonous
gases
gas. He wanted
to use massive
to end the war quickly.
her husband's
Later
and
After
gas attacks
However,
work
the
on all
the military
effectively
and so
the First World War.
was so tormented
about
the way in
suicide.
worries.
He declared
himself
belongs
to the world
in times
Haber himself
a patriot
had no such
and said, 'A man
of peace, but to his country
in times of war'.
to fifty
that
oceans
compounds
work
combined
enough
were
by direct
is when elements
together
yet another
even
tons
that
the gold
he
in the 1930s
Germany
war, but the country
together
extract
remained
a very
began
to prepare
no longer
wanted
did not remain
belongs to the world
Haber caused
to his country
government
how you
what
that you are Fritz Haber in 1934,
interview
you. Here are some of the
questions
they want to ask you:
in times of war'?
5.
in the passage to imagine
Fritz Haber might
Should a scientist
work might
by the German
now that they have exiled you?
Use the information
his work.
has asked if they can
in times of peace, but
f) Do you feel badly treated
you are Haber's wife and you are
just after you have been exiled. A German
about how your work was
e) What did you mean when you said 'A man
Haber helped the
f/
radio station
were you by the fact that so
going to be used?
in the world?
feel about
to
gases?
more carefully
that need to be reacted
to your sister to explain
and cheaply?
d) Do you feel that you should have thought
502
to make the three compounds.
suffering
quickly
how
gold from the sea failed?
poisonous
In what ways do you think
for
Fritz
loyal to Haber,
many people were killed by your work on
HCI
In what ways do you think
raise
His attempts
b) How did you feel when your attempts
c) How concerned
chloride
gold
if he could
he could
her debts.
so
of
in his own country.
to make ammonia
are
H20
Name the elements
Imagine
of
despite his patriotisr'7,.In 1933, Nazism drove Fritz Haber
below can be made
Sulphur dioxide
4.
but
Haber to help her. Germany
synthesis.
Hydrogen
writing
scientist
However,
to form a compound.
Water
Imagine
to extract
to pay off
unsuccessful,
respected
millions
in it. Haber thought
for Germany
was
tons of gold. Haber had heard
contained
the science
needed
a) How did you feel when you discovered
Each of the compounds
3.
out
and the amount
thousand
dissolved
imposed
into exile - because he was a Jew.
1. Direct synthesis
world?
the
War the Allies
to pay for war damage. These were
as the 'Reparations'
equivalent
(IUESTIONS
2.
lost the First World
huge fines on Germany
work had been used to kill others that,
in 1916, she committed
Germany
known
use was made of them during
which
were injured
warfare.
government
allied troops
proved
showed
on chemical
troops
also used poisonous
which
Haber continued
felt
casualties
the Allies
Germans,
15000
think
say.
of the uses their
be put to or should they just
solve scientific
problems?