Lesson Plan

Lesson : Nitrogen and its Compounds

Aim :

To study the extraction of nitrogen from air and the preparation of ammonia.

Learning Outcomes :

At the end of the lesson, students will be able to :

• explain the principle of nitrogen extraction from air

• describe a method to prepare ammonia in the laboratory from ammonium salt

• describe the large-scale manufacture of ammonia by the Haber process.

Assumed prior knowledge :

Students should already be familiar with the concept of fractional distillation.

Underlying Principles

1. Making the invisible, visible.

2. Enabling students to know what to look for.

Differentiation

Questions in the student notes are designed to enable all students to complete the activity.
The pop-up answers are provided for the students to view when they have considered their
responses. Worksheet questions include questions that require recall, understanding and
application of the new concepts learned.

© 2004 Ministry of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. Page 1 of 3

Development of Lesson :

No. Steps Strategy Resources

1 Set Induction. • Teacher to get students to recall the
(Ascertaining prior concept of fractional distillation.
knowledge and
introducing lesson • Teacher to point out lesson objectives of
topic for the day). the day.

2 Student Activity Teacher to go through Activities 1 and 2 • Courseware

with the students.

Activity 1 : Extraction of nitrogen

Students get to view how air is liquefied

and how nitrogen is extracted from
liquefied air by fractional distillation.

Activity 2 : Preparation of ammonia

Students get to view how ammonia can

be prepared from an ammonium salt in
the laboratory. They also get to view how
ammonia is manufactured in industry by
the Haber process.

3 Evaluation • Students to answer questions in the • Worksheet

worksheet on their own.

4 Extension activity • Students to read up reference materials • References

on their own.

© 2004 Ministry of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. Page 2 of 3

Worksheet Answers

1. Extraction of nitrogen

1.1 a. Fractional distillation of liquefied air

b. By compression and expansion

c. By filtration

d. Oxygen and inert gases

e. Add some hydrogen gas

Heat the mixture
Hydrogen reacts with oxygen to form water
Cool the product
Remove the ice formed

2. Preparation of ammonia

2.1 a. NaOH, Ca(OH)2 or any strong alkali

b. NH4+ + OH− NH3 + H2O

c. Method 1: Use damp red litmus paper

The litmus paper turns blue
Ammonia is a base

Method 2: Use a glass rod dipped in concentrated hydrochloric acid

White fumes are observed
NH3 + HCl NH4Cl

d. Ammonia is very soluble in water.

2.2 a. N2 + 3H2 2NH3

b. Nitrogen from fractional distillation of liquefied air

Hydrogen from the reaction of natural gas (methane) with steam

CH4 + 2H2O CO2 + 4H2

c. Pressure: 250 atm, Temperature: 773 − 823 K, Catalyst: Iron

According to Le Chatelier’s principle, high pressures and low temperatures

favour the formation of ammonia.
Rate of reaction is low at low temperatures.
Temperature of 713 K to 823 K is a compromise between rate and yield.
Iron is used as a catalyst to increase the rate of the reaction.

© 2004 Ministry of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. Page 3 of 3