On an industrial scale, ammonia is prepared by Haber’s process. The constituents of ammonia N₂ and H₂ combine in a ratio of 1:3.

N₂ + 3H₂ ⇌ 2NH₃ 

The reaction proceeds in the forward direction with a remarkable decrease in volume and thus the reaction is exothermic. In accordance with Le Chatelier’s principle, high pressure would favour the formation of ammonia. The optimum conditions for the production of ammonia are a pressure of approx 200 atm, a temperature of approx 700 K and the use of a catalyst such as iron oxide with small amounts of K₂O and Al₂O₃ to increase the rate of attainment of equilibrium.