Green chemistry Flashcards
The chemical industry has a significant positive impact on our daily lives, producing substances that we use every day. However, scientists must ensure that the negative impact on the environment and society is minimised, through careful research into ‘green chemistry’.
The chemical industry
Bulk and fine chemicals
The chemical industry makes some chemicals in very large quantities. These chemicals are called bulk chemicals. Examples of these include:
ammonia
sulfuric acid
sodium hydroxide
phosphoric acid
Bulk chemicals are made at large chemical plants
Other chemicals are made in much smaller quantities, and are called fine chemicals. Examples of these include:
drugs
food additives
fragrances
Research and development
A large proportion of the people employed in the chemical industry work in research and development.
Developing new chemical products or processes – such as new catalysts for industrial reactions - requires an extensive programme of research and development.
The government has a duty to protect people working in the chemical industry, and also to protect the consumers and the environment. It imposes strict regulations on the chemical industry to control the manufacturing processes as well as the storage and processing of chemicals.
The chemical industry has a significant positive impact on our daily lives, producing substances that we use every day. However, scientists must ensure that the negative impact on the environment and society is minimised, through careful research into ‘green chemistry’.
The chemical industry
Bulk and fine chemicals
The chemical industry makes some chemicals in very large quantities. These chemicals are called bulk chemicals. Examples of these include:
ammonia
sulfuric acid
sodium hydroxide
phosphoric acid
Bulk chemicals are made at large chemical plants
Other chemicals are made in much smaller quantities, and are called fine chemicals. Examples of these include:
drugs
food additives
fragrances
Research and development
A large proportion of the people employed in the chemical industry work in research and development.
Developing new chemical products or processes – such as new catalysts for industrial reactions - requires an extensive programme of research and development.
The government has a duty to protect people working in the chemical industry, and also to protect the consumers and the environment. It imposes strict regulations on the chemical industry to control the manufacturing processes as well as the storage and processing of chemicals.
Give examples of bulk chemicals that the chemical industry produces?
The chemical industry
Bulk and fine chemicals
The chemical industry makes some chemicals in very large quantities. These chemicals are called bulk chemicals. Examples of these include:
ammonia
sulfuric acid
sodium hydroxide
phosphoric acid
Other chemicals are made in much smaller quantities, and are called ……….. chemicals. Examples of these include ?
Other chemicals are made in much smaller quantities, and are called fine chemicals. Examples of these include:
drugs
food additives
fragrances
A large proportion of the people employed in the chemical industry work in research and development.
Why?
Developing new chemical products or processes – such as new catalysts for industrial reactions - requires an extensive programme of research and development.
The government has a duty to protect people working in the chemical industry, and also to protect the consumers and the environment. It imposes strict regulations on the chemical industry to control the manufacturing processes as well as the storage and processing of chemicals.
What are Catalysts?
Catalysts
Chemists are always interested in finding new catalysts for industrial reactions in order to save money. Catalysts speed up chemical reactions without being used up or chemically changed.
A catalyst might be expensive to purchase. But because they are reused, they save money in the long term and can help to make processes more sustainable
Some processes use catalysts that are ?
Some processes use catalysts that are enzymes. This often means that the process needs to take place at an optimum temperature and pH. If the temperature is too high, enzymes can denature and no longer work.
How does a catalyst work ?
A catalyst works by providing an alternative route for a reaction with a lower activation energy. The activation energy is the amount of energy needed to break bonds in the reactants in order to start a chemical reaction
What is green chemistry?
Green chemistry is a term that is used to describe a set of principles that can help to make the production of a chemical more sustainable.
The sustainability of a process depends on 7 factors? What are they?
whether or not the raw materials needed are renewable
the ‘atom economy’ (the total mass of the atoms in the desired product expressed as a percentage of the total mass of all the atoms in all of the reactants)
whether there are a lot of waste products (or by-products) and whether they can be recycled, used for something else, or are hazardous
the amount of energy that is required by the process or released from the process
the overall effect of the process on the environment
whether the process is hazardous for the workers
the social and economic benefits
Chemical plants manufacture chemicals. Where do reactions take place that convert reactants into products.
The centre of the plant is where reactions take place that convert reactants into products.
The chemical(s) fed into the process are known as what? Sometimes they have to be ….. ?
The chemical(s) fed into the process (known as the ‘feedstock’) may sometimes have to be heated, which takes energy. Synthesis then takes place inside the reactor often with the presence of a catalyst.
where does synthesis take place and what presence is needed in synthesis?
A mixture of chemicals that needs to be separated then leaves the reactor. This separation of products isolates the desired product from by-products and unchanged starting materials. Unchanged starting materials may be recycled and fed back into the reactor to make the process more sustainable.
The sustainability of
heated, which takes energy. Synthesis then takes place inside the reactor often with the presence of a catalyst.
A mixture of chemicals that needs to be separated then leaves the reactor. This separation of products isolates the desired product from by-products and unchanged starting materials. Unchanged starting materials may be recycled and fed back into the reactor to make the process more sustainable.
Synthesis then takes place inside the reactor often with the presence of a catalyst.
A mixture of chemicals that needs to be separated then leaves the reactor. What does this separation of products do?
A mixture of chemicals that needs to be separated then leaves the reactor. This separation of products isolates the desired product from by-products and unchanged starting materials. Unchanged starting materials may be recycled and fed back into the reactor to make the process more sustainable.
The periodic table can be used to find out ………… ………. …………of an element. What is Nitrogen’s relative atomic mass?
The periodic table can be used to find out the relative atomic mass of an element. Nitrogen’s relative atomic mass is 14 (the number 7 is the atomic number).
How is the relative formula mass (RFM) of a compound calculated ?
The relative formula mass (RFM) of a compound is calculated by adding up all of the relative atomic masses of the atoms that it contains.
