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How do fertilizers work?

Updated: 4/28/2022
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13y ago

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In addition to sunlight, CO2 and water, plants need certain elements in order to produce the compounds that they require to live. The most needed are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. There are a number of others.

Fertilizers are an attempt to replace these elements into the soil so that plants can grow faster than they would if you waited for nature to replenish these things "normally" (mainly by decay).

But if you add to much fertilizer then the plants can get "burned" and will lose productivity. Also Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium are macro nutrients.

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Continue Learning about Earth Science

Do fertilizers increase air pollution?

Yes, fertilizers can increase air pollution unless they are organic. Some chemicals n the fertilizers may do good for your grass but, not the rest of the environment and the air.


What man-made or man-refined chemical have the greatest impact on the phosphorus cycle?

The fertilizers have.


How fertilizers and pesticides cause soil pollution?

as the fertilizers and pesticides are made from chemical substances that is why when we put fertilizers instead of cow dung etc the soil become dry and pollute. shaghaf ghufran qureshi


Research on the manufacture and the use of organic and inorganic fertilizers and how these affect the environment?

Organic fertilizers are manufactured using only naturally existing elements, while inorganic fertilizers use chemical compounds that contain the same types of minerals and nutrients as organic fertilizers. An organic fertilizer might use fish emulsions to add certain nutrients to the soil, while an inorganic fertilizer might use a man made acid based compound to fulfill the same need as the fish emulsions. Organic fertilizers are often times absorbed much more easily into the environment with little side effects, although any runoff of nutrient rich water can affect a watershed's territory. The main problem with inorganic fertilizers is that they use "steroid" like compounds to maintain faster vegetative and flowering growth cycles.


Evaluation on the use of inorganic fertilizers on the environment and humans?

Inorganic fertilizers are used to improve the production of cereals and other edible plants. They also can improve the quality of soils. But the abuse or incompetent use of fertilizers must be avoided; pollution of the environment is the consequence.

Related questions

How can fertilizers disrupt the work of decomposers?

esplain how the use of fertilizer disprutthe work of decomposer


What are the advantages and the disadvantages of natural fertilizers?

The advantages of natural fertilizers would be that they are not made of chemicals and not harmful for the body. A disadvantage is that they smell bad and don't work as well.


How does artificial fertilizers work to exchange plant growth?

Artificial fertilizers provide radilly the essential elments like nitrogen, phosphorus and potash for plant growth.


Why are artificial fertilizers needed?

Artificial fertilizers are used and needed for a number of reasons. These fertilizers help meet the deficit made by real fertilizers.


How do fertilizers affect resources?

the affect of fertilizers on the resources is that our farmers use fertilizers in order to maintain the fertility of soil except organic fertilizers


What are the examples of chemical fertilizers?

examples of fertilizers


Fertilizers a curse as well as a boon?

fertilizers are good for crops but access of fertilizers can be a curse on crops


Is actinium used in fertilizers?

Actinium is not used in fertilizers.


Are NPK fertilizers harmless?

are npk fertilizers harmless


What does fertilizers do?

Fertilizers place nutrients in the soil that are not naturally there. Just keep in mind the difference between fertilizers and soil conditioners. Soil conditioners are items that overall help the soil. So fertilizers are soil conditioners but not all conditioners are fertilizers.


What is National Fertilizers's population?

National Fertilizers's population is 4,596.


What is the population of National Fertilizers?

The population of National Fertilizers is 2,011.