CHEMISTRY
CHEMISTRY
Investigatory
Investigatory
Project
Project
Kamal Singh
Kamal Singh
12
12
th
th
A
A
K.V. 2 Colaba
K.V. 2 Colaba
Mumbai
Mumbai
FERTILIZERS
Certificate
This is hereby to certify that the
original and genuine investigation
work has been carried out to
investigate about the subject matter
and the related data collection and
solely, sincerely and satisfactorily by
Kamal Singh
a student
of class
12
th
A
of
Kendriya Vidyalaya 2 Colaba
Mumbai ,
regarding his project
titled
“Fertilizers”
.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
It would be my utmost
pleasure to express my
sincere thanks to my
Chemistry teacher
Mrs.Shilpa Rana mam
in
providing a helping hand in
this project. Her valuable
guidance, support and
supervision all through this
project are responsible for
EXAMINER SIGNATURE
attaining its present form. I
would also like to thank my
parents and friends as they
encouraged me to put forward
my project.
CONTENTS
Background of study
Statement of the problem
Hypothesis
Significance of the study
Score and Limitation
Definition of terms
Experimentation and
Bibliography
INTRODUCTION
Plants need to be fertilized because most soil does not provide essential nutrients required for
optimum growth. Even if the person is lucky enough to start with great garden soil, as your plants grow, they absorb nutrients and leave the soil less fertile. Nutrients in the soil also help plants grow strong. Some nutrients that plants need are nitrogen,
phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur.
Fertilizers, also known as food elements, are materials produced to supple these elements in a readily available form of plant use. It helps to make plants grow faster which help some farmers and
gardeners for their business. Choosing the right
fertilizer help us to get everything we need from the plants we eat or from the meat of animals that eat plants. Plants are factories that do all of the work to process the basic elements of life and make them available to us.
Fertilizers help feed the world. The FARO has stated that “after land and water, fertilizers are probably the most important input leading to
increased yields”. It is inherently difficult to estimate the share of fertilizers in increasing agricultural
output since so many factors are involved. It has been estimated that fertilizer contribute about 40% of the nitrogen in human protein consumption, it
follows that nearly one third of this protein depends on fertilizers. Therefore, it is important for us to
know which fertilizers to use for us to sustain properly the needs of every plant.
Increased crop production largely relies on the type of fertilizers used to supplement essential nutrients for plants. Fertilizer application is required to
replace crop land nutrients that have been consumed by previous plant growth with the ultimate goal of maximizing productivity and economic returns. Now a day, there is increased emphasis on the impact on soil environment due to continuous use of chemical fertilizers. The impact of chemical fertilizer
application on agricultural land is seen not only in terms of the soil quality but also on the survival of soil organisms dwelling there in. Chemical fertilizers provide three major plant nutrients; nitrogen,
phosphorus and potassium or NPK. However, the
ever increasing cost of commercial fertilizer products driven, in part, by the inevitable depletion of global phosphorus, is forcing producers to look for
alternative sources like bio-fertilizers and other organically-based solutions. In literature, some
to be harmful for soil organisms but on the
contradictory they have been supported too to be beneficial as far as their food supply is concern. The primary advantages of using biosolids as a fertilizer alternative are cost efficiencies and the presence of nutrients and organic matter. Returning these
valuable materials back to the soils is a critical element in long-term sustainability.
Statement of the
problem
This research aim to compare 2 different brand of fertilizer: Chemical fertilizer and Citrus Sinensis Peeling (bio-fertilizers), specifically the researchers sought to answer the following questions:
How do the researchers determine the effectively of these product?
What are advantages and disadvantages of using these fertilizers?
Which fertilizer will make plants grow faster and healthier?
Which fertilizer is better and safer to use: Citrus Sinensis Peeling or branded fertilizer?
Hypothesis
The researchers will determine the effectivity of the product by testing the effectivity of 2 brand of fertilizer in separate plants (Plant A and Plant B). After the testing, the researchers will record the result and make a statement about the research.
Significance of the
study
The study is beneficial to:
1. Farmers and gardeners- the benefit of this study will help them to improve the quality of their products, save time with their work, and get a higher profit.
2. Environment- the benefit of this study will help our environment by helping the soil and plants to sustain their needs and provide the essential nutrients required for optimum growth. 3. Agricultural company- the benefit of this
study will help them to give a good service to their customers by giving them a high and good quality products (ex: rice, vegetables, and fruits) 4. Community- the benefit of this study will help
the community to sense this as a source of income if made into a business.
Score and Limitation
The following information of this research will come from different textbooks, surveys of different researchers, information stated of the product, and some information in the internet about the subject which is plants and fertilizers. The factors to
consider covered by this study are to evaluate the effectiveness, cost, and functionality of the fertilizer. Through the study shows high feasibility, there are still boundaries that shall be set to further facilitate the research process. In the study, there shall be two set-ups; thus set-up A: plant fertilized with citrus
sinensis peelings, set-up B: plant fertilize with
branded fertilizer. The researchers will then identify its difference.
The following limitations are:
Sunlight is one of the important materials in doing this study. Without sunlight, this
experiment can’t be processed.
Some informations gathered from surveys, questionnaires and reference materials.
Cost and availability that will be covered from this study.
Definition of terms
The following technical terms are defined in this study.
Nitrogen- tasteless odorless gaseous chemical element
Phosphorus- poisonous waxy chemical element
Potassium- silver white metallic chemical element
Calcium- a soft gray alkaline earth metal, fifth most abundant element by mass in the earth’s crust.
Sulfur- an abundant, multivalent non-metal
Citrus Sinensis- the scientific name of sweet oranges. It is what most consumers commonly buy.
The research about the comparison between 2
different brands of fertilizer was aimed to help the community to be aware of the importance of
fertilizers and also to give them the information in which fertilizer to use for their plants. Books,
internet, and other references materials were used as the primary sources of information to strengthen the researchers’ view on this topic. But these were not enough, so experiments were conducted by the researchers to gain additional information.
A. Materials:
Pot A and Pot B
Good quality of soil
Seeds to be use (any kind of plant: pechay)
Water Sunlight Branded Fertilizer Orange peelings
Methodology
Procedure:1. Sow seeds thinly on shallow furrows across the seed pot, and cover lightly with fine topsoil.
Do not broadcast seeds when sowing to avoid thick germination in one place.
2. Water the seed pot daily. Watering and other cultural management practices should be
regularly done.
3. Apply liberal amount of fertilizer (Citrus Sensis Peeling for pot A and branded fertilizer for
pot B) at the base of the plants, then cover lightly with soil and water immediately. 4. Water the plant whenever necessary or depending on your own judgment or observation
of the plant
5. Always remember to give both pots a
presence of sunlight for their process of growing. 6. Every week, measure the height of both
plants.
Observe
As long as the researchers followed the
achieved. Factors such as sunlight could affect the study. In addition, if this is not available, possible that this study could fail. However, researchers could try it once more again and again until the study is evaluated.
Analysis of fertilizers
Elements: NITROGEN:
Major fertilizers containing N: (a) Ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) (b) Potassium nitrate (KNO3) (c) Urea (NH2CONH2)
Preparation:
Most of nitrogen fertilizers are obtained form
synthetic NH3. This chemical compound is used as gas or in water
solution or it is converted to salts. Nitrogen Deficiencies
(a) Pale, green, yellow leaves (b) Stunted growth
Nitrogen in Excess –
(a) Lower disease resistance (b) Weaken stem
(c) Decay maturity
(d) Lower fruit quality
PHOSPHORUS:
Major fertilizers containing P:
(a)DAP – Diammonium phosphate [(NH4)2PO4] (b)Ca3(PO4)2 – Calcium phosphate
(c)Triple phosphate and super phosphate Preparation:
Most phosphoric fertilizers are obtained by the treatment of calcium phosphate with H2SO4 and phosphoric
fertilizers. Calcium phosphate is mainly derived from phosphate rock and bones. Phosphate rock is found in
deposits of sedimentary origin laid down on beds of ocean floor.
Phosphorus deficiencies –
(a) Pale purple colour on the underside of leaves (b) Reduced flower, fruits and seed production Advantages of P:
1. Encourage cell division
2. Hastens maturity, offsetting quick growth caused by N
3. Encourage root growth
4. Increase disease resistance Phosphorous in excess
1. Causes dehydration of roots 2. Increase soluble
salt content of medium POTASSIUM:
Major fertilizers containining K: 1. Potassium chloride (Potash) 2. Potassium nitrate (KNO3)
Preparation:
It is the seventh most abundant element found in earth’s crust. Potassium chloride which is principal commercial
form of potash and some KNO3 is also used for production of potash fertilizer.
1. Leaves appear dry and scorched
2. Irregular yellow areas on the surface Advantages of K:
1. Increase disease resistance
2. Encourage healthy root and stems 3. Essential for starch formation
4. Efficient use of CO2 Potassium in excess 1. Affects soil acidity
2. Reduced flower, fruit and seed production
Fertilisers V
Experiment Observation Inference 1. Take a
pinch of fertilizer + few drops of dil. H2SO4
No reaction Dil. group absent 2. Take a pinch of fertilizer + few drops of conc. H2SO4
No reaction Conc. group absent
3. Take 1 ml of soda
extract and acidify it with
No reaction Volatile group absent
dil HCl. Add few drops of BaCl2 soln. to it. 4. A pinch of fertilizer + few drops of NaOH soln. Heat it.
No reaction Zero group absent 5. Take 1 ml of O.S (original solution) in a solution and to it add few drops of dil. HCl No reaction 1st group absent 6. Take 1 ml of O.S (original solution) in a solution, to it add few drops of dil. HCl. Warm the solution, and pass H2S gas. No reaction 2nd group absent
7. Take 1 ml of O.S (original solution) in a solution and to it add few drops of dil. HCl .add few drops of conc. HNO3.heat it. Cool it. Add a pinch of solid NH4Cl followed by excess of NH4OH. No reaction 3rd group absent 8. Take 1 ml of O.S (original solution) in a solution and to it add few drops of dil. HCl. Add a pinch of solid NH4Cl followed by excess of NH4OH. Warm the solution and pass H2S No reaction IV group absent
gas. 9. Take 1 ml of OS + few drops of dil. HCl + a pinch of solid NH4Cl + 1 or 2 ml of (NH4)2CO3 White ppt V group present, may be Ba2+, Kr2+ or Ca2+ 10. Filter the white precipitate, take a part of it, and dissolve it in minimum amount of CH3COOH. Now add (NH4)2C2O4 White ppt Ca2+ confirmed. 11. Flame test Brick red flame Ca2+ confirmed. RESULT
Fertilizer has Ca2+ as cation. (The fertilizer detected is Vermi Compost).
Fertilizer–III
Experiment Observation Inference 1. Take 1 ml of Lassaigne Solution (L.S.)* in a test tube and to it add few drops of freshly prepared ferrous sulphate solution.
Heat it. Cool it. Add few drops of conc. H2SO4 Prussian blue colour Nitrogen present in elemental form. RESULT
The given fertilizer has N in elemental form. (The fertilizer detected is urea).
O.C.N + Na NaCN
FERTILIZER 5(vermi compost)
Ca2+ (aq) + CO32(aq) CaCO3 (s) +2CH3COOH + CaCO3 Ca [CH3COO]2 + H2O +CO2+Ca2+ (aq) +C2O42CaC2O4(s)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Following Books and websites were a source for my project.
Wikipedia
NCERT Chemistry Textbook for class 12 ECO CORP.