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However, most people's encounters with nitrogen on a day-to-day basis involve the more or less inert nitrogen molecules making up the vast majority of the Earth
by mathw 8y ago
However, most people's encounters with nitrogen on a day-to-day basis involve the more or less inert nitrogen molecules making up the vast majority of the Earth's atmosphere, so it is seemingly innocent unless you know about how when you start compounding it with other things it gets all excited.
- DiabloD3 8y agoOr you are old enough to remember the first WTC terrorist attack in the 90s where they had a van full of nitrogen fertilizer.
- dogma1138 8y agoNitrogen goes boom, like the most basic bomb is fuel/oil+fertilizer this should be pretty common knowledge especially considering how common were fertilizer bombs in the US.
- afarrell 8y ago> the most basic bomb is fuel/oil+fertilizer this should be pretty common knowledge especially considering how common were fertilizer bombs in the US. In what context would more than 40% of Americans, people who grew up in a society were "and now I'm on a list" is a common phrase, have learned about the means of manufacturing bombs? What percentage of people do you think have even heard of Fritz Haber?
- dogma1138 8y agoBy being exposed to the news? https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=fertilizer+bomb&num=100&newwindow=1&safe=active&source=lnms&tbm=nws&sa=X https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=fertilizer+bomb&num=100&ne... And add to that the plethora of TV shoes and movies that specifically use "fertilizer bombs" as plot devices.
- eganist 8y agoMost people 1) wouldn't google that, and 2) wouldn't immediately connect fertilizer to nitrogen or realize from the phrase that nitrogen is one of the key components.
- dogma1138 8y agoPeople don’t need to google it was just to show that fertilizer bomb is a common phrase on the news you can also add nitrogen and bombs and get the same results. News, movies and tv shows covered nitrogen and fertilizer bombs extensively since essentially all the bomb related terrorist attacks in the US used these. And again this isn’t about most people this is about a columnist for Popular Mechanics and pop-sci publication they should know better and if they don’t they at least should do research.
- pwg 8y agoExcept that the news always covers it as a "fertilizer bomb" or "fuel oil and fertilizer bomb" without ever going into the details that nitrogen is one of the elements that has a significant play in the explosiveness of the "fertilizer bomb". And the vast majority of those watching/reading the news, and seeing "fertilizer bomb" as the "name" are not chemists and have zero chemistry background, and therefore are not at all equipped to make the connection that it is the nitrogen in the fertilizer that provides much of the explosive punch of the "fertilizer bomb". At best all they will ever learn is that "fuel oil and fertilizer" can be used to make a bomb, without ever understanding why this combination is explosive.
- NeedMoreTea 8y agoHow about the context of watching the nightly news where it's common to add that the explosion was a home made fertiliser bomb to a report of some amateur terrorist? No need of knowing any additional process, or if there even is any, or have heard of Fritz Haber and his discoveries. Or just watching a whole selection of Hollywood movies where sacks labelled "fertiliser" are loaded into the van along with an LED alarm clock and detonator. :)
- eganist 8y agoThis still assumes most people are aware of nitrogen's role in fertilizer, ammonia (possibly), etc.