Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The Haber process is a crucial industrial chemical process used to synthesize ammonia ( ) directly from nitrogen ( ) and hydrogen ( ) gases.
Because the reaction requires breaking the exceptionally strong triple bond of the nitrogen molecule, a catalyst is essential to provide an alternative pathway with a lower activation energy.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
The approach involves recalling factual knowledge about standard industrial manufacturing processes and their specifically optimized catalysts.
We will match each given chemical species with its most famous industrial application.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
The chemical reaction for the Haber process is: .
To achieve a practical rate of reaction at economically feasible temperatures, a solid catalyst is utilized.
The historically established and currently used catalyst for this specific process is finely divided iron.
This iron catalyst is typically promoted with small amounts of potassium oxide ( ) and aluminum oxide ( ) to enhance its performance.
Let us briefly review the other options provided.
Option (A) Vanadium pentoxide ( ) is the characteristic catalyst used in the Contact process to produce sulfuric acid.
Option (C) Platinum ( ) mesh is widely used as a catalyst in the Ostwald process for manufacturing nitric acid.
Option (D) Nickel ( ) is the standard catalyst employed in the industrial hydrogenation of vegetable oils to form solid fats.
Therefore, finely divided iron is the correct answer.
Step 4: Final Answer:
The catalyst used in the manufacture of Ammonia by Haber's process is finely divided Iron.