The chemical reaction that feeds the world - Daniel D. Dulek
video description
Date: 2020-08-22
Related videos
Comments and reviews: 10
Owlmaster
Ok, the problem with saying that 3 billion people would go hungry with out the discovery of the Haber Process is that the carrying capacity of Earth would be less than 7 billion with prefertilizer agriculture. So it's not that they would go hungry, it's that the carrying capacity of Earth would be much smaller, causing them to not exist do to a probable food shortage. Not to mention the growth of the population would have been severely stunted without the synthesis of ammonia for agriculture. It is an important discovery, but not as important when considering it wouldn't have had 3 billion people go hungry instead of the carrying capacity being much lower.
reply
Ok, the problem with saying that 3 billion people would go hungry with out the discovery of the Haber Process is that the carrying capacity of Earth would be less than 7 billion with prefertilizer agriculture. So it's not that they would go hungry, it's that the carrying capacity of Earth would be much smaller, causing them to not exist do to a probable food shortage. Not to mention the growth of the population would have been severely stunted without the synthesis of ammonia for agriculture. It is an important discovery, but not as important when considering it wouldn't have had 3 billion people go hungry instead of the carrying capacity being much lower.
reply
John
Of course Haber knew the value large scale synthesis of ammonia would be to agriculture. During WWI the priority was ammonium nitrate, (NH4(NO3) for explosives. Prior to Haber-Bosch (NH4(NO3) was produced from guano. In fact battles were fought for Pacific and Atlantic islands with large deposits during and many years prior to WWI. Industrial production was immensely more cost effective than hauling thousands of tons of guano thousands of miles. Gunpowder was without question the motivation for Haber-Bosch in 1913. Post WWI BASF became the first large scale manufacturer of agricultural (NH4(NO3.
Jay Wilkins
reply
Of course Haber knew the value large scale synthesis of ammonia would be to agriculture. During WWI the priority was ammonium nitrate, (NH4(NO3) for explosives. Prior to Haber-Bosch (NH4(NO3) was produced from guano. In fact battles were fought for Pacific and Atlantic islands with large deposits during and many years prior to WWI. Industrial production was immensely more cost effective than hauling thousands of tons of guano thousands of miles. Gunpowder was without question the motivation for Haber-Bosch in 1913. Post WWI BASF became the first large scale manufacturer of agricultural (NH4(NO3.
Jay Wilkins
reply
Randal
Hungry people do not invent and study, few people are content with plenty. As one one once said necessity is the mother of invention What was neglected in this video is that ammonia is and awesome refrigerant albeit somewhat noxious but much more environmentally friendly than Freon. Weigh the balance and I believe it a net positive that allows humans to grow, explore, expand and potentially derive the new frontiers that our descendants will prosper from.
reply
Hungry people do not invent and study, few people are content with plenty. As one one once said necessity is the mother of invention What was neglected in this video is that ammonia is and awesome refrigerant albeit somewhat noxious but much more environmentally friendly than Freon. Weigh the balance and I believe it a net positive that allows humans to grow, explore, expand and potentially derive the new frontiers that our descendants will prosper from.
reply
GRBTutorials
0: 50 Not really, because the population would not get big enough, it would slowly grow until it stabilises at 4 000 million people. And that's what will happen in the future unless another similar breakthrough is done (genetic modification, or we finally leave Earth to colonise other planets and moons: it'll stabilise at around 10 000 million, because there's still a limit to the amount of food we can produce.
reply
0: 50 Not really, because the population would not get big enough, it would slowly grow until it stabilises at 4 000 million people. And that's what will happen in the future unless another similar breakthrough is done (genetic modification, or we finally leave Earth to colonise other planets and moons: it'll stabilise at around 10 000 million, because there's still a limit to the amount of food we can produce.
reply
Stephen
Great video, very informative, good science. Not sure about the end though: 'Haber did not foresee this problem when he introduced his invention. ' It should be noted that Haber used his talents and discoveries to lead the German war effort in WWI, including vigorously pioneering and championing the chemical warfare program.
reply
Great video, very informative, good science. Not sure about the end though: 'Haber did not foresee this problem when he introduced his invention. ' It should be noted that Haber used his talents and discoveries to lead the German war effort in WWI, including vigorously pioneering and championing the chemical warfare program.
reply
NordicNostalgia
Haber wasn't the first to create artificial fertilizer. That credit goes to Kristian Birkeland with the invention of the Birkeland-Eyde process creating nitric acid also taking nitrogen from the air. Problem is that it takes a large amounts of electricity. Haber's method was a lot more cost efficient.
reply
Haber wasn't the first to create artificial fertilizer. That credit goes to Kristian Birkeland with the invention of the Birkeland-Eyde process creating nitric acid also taking nitrogen from the air. Problem is that it takes a large amounts of electricity. Haber's method was a lot more cost efficient.
reply
abc
3 billion people without food?
theoretically speaking, how about expanding the farming lands by 80%? without harber process, you need to say about this topic with more precesion. i am not following.
reply
3 billion people without food?
theoretically speaking, how about expanding the farming lands by 80%? without harber process, you need to say about this topic with more precesion. i am not following.
reply
Karl
Rocks on earth release plant available/bioavailable nitrogen by weathering, maybe people just need to grind up rocks to replace the haber Bosch process and avoid the consequences of ammonia byproducts
reply
Rocks on earth release plant available/bioavailable nitrogen by weathering, maybe people just need to grind up rocks to replace the haber Bosch process and avoid the consequences of ammonia byproducts
reply
Dr.
I was trying to understand what haber's process and got tired, so I went to take a break and found this video! Now I understand way better! THANKS!
reply
I was trying to understand what haber's process and got tired, so I went to take a break and found this video! Now I understand way better! THANKS!
reply
Roi
The Haber process included an iron catalyst. This was the essential element. He won the nobel prize for feeding the world.
reply
The Haber process included an iron catalyst. This was the essential element. He won the nobel prize for feeding the world.
reply
Add a review, comment
Other channel videos
