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Using Resources Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the common properties each material has?

A

The common properties every material has include melting/boiling point (the temperature at which a solid melts into a liquid/a liquid evaporates into a gas), conductivity (how well a material conducts heat/electricity), strength (how well a material resists an applied force), hardness (how well a material can resist being scratched), brittleness (how easily a material will snap) and stiffness (how well a material can resist bending).

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2
Q

What are ceramics?

A

Ceramics are non-metal solids with high melting points that aren’t made from carbon-based compounds.

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3
Q

What are the common properties of ceramics?

A

Ceramics are generally hard, brittle, heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant.

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4
Q

How are ceramics made?

A

Ceramics are made by shaping and then firing a nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature.

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5
Q

What are two main groups of ceramics?

A

Two main groups of ceramics are clay ceramics and glass.

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6
Q

Give examples of clay ceramics.

A

Clay ceramics include brick, china and porcelain.

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7
Q

How are clay ceramics made?

A

They are made by shaping wet clay while it’s soft and then heating it to a high temperature in a furnace, which causes it to harden.

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8
Q

What is a useful property of clay ceramics?

A

Clay ceramics have a high compressive strength, which is why bricks can be used for building.

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9
Q

What are the two main types of glass?

A

The two main types of glass are soda-lime glass and borosilicate glass.

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10
Q

What is soda-lime glass?

A

Soda-lime glass is made by heating a mixture of sand (silicon oxide), sodium carbonate and limestone and then allowing the molten liquid to cool and solidify.

Most of the glass we use is soda-lime glass.

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11
Q

What is borosilicate glass?

A

Borosilicate glass is made by heating glass with boron trioxide.

Borosilicate glass has a high higher melting point than soda-lime glass.

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12
Q

What are useful properties of glass?

A

Glass is transparent, strong and a good thermal insulator, which makes it useful for windows.

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13
Q

What is a composite?

A

A composite material consists of two or more materials with different properties, that have been combined to produce a material with more desirable properties.

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14
Q

What are the two main components of composites?

A

Most composite materials are made from two components:

1) The reinforcement - often long solid fibres or fragments.
2) The matrix - which binds the reinforcement together. Usually something that starts soft and then hardens.

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15
Q

What are the typical properties of polymers?

A

Generally, polymers are flexible, easily shaped, and good insulators of heat and electricity

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16
Q

What are the two main forms of poly(ethene)?

A

The two main forms of poly(ethene) are low-density poly(ethene) (LDPE) and high-density poly(ethene) (HDPE).

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17
Q

What are the conditions for the reaction in which LDPE is formed?

A

LDPE is formed in a reaction with a moderate temperature, a high pressure and a catalyst.

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18
Q

What are the properties of LDPE?

A

LDPE is more flexible than HDPE, but weaker.

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19
Q

What is LDPE used for?

A

LDPE is used in plastic bags.

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20
Q

What are the conditions for the reaction in which HDPE is formed?

A

HDPE is formed in a reaction with a low temperature, a low pressure and a catalyst.

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21
Q

What are the properties of HDPE?

A

HDPE is more rigid and stronger than LDPE

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22
Q

What is HDPE used for?

A

HDPE is used in drainpipes.

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23
Q

Explain the difference between thermosoftening and thermosetting polymers.

A

Thermosoftening polymers are made from polymer chains held together by weak intermolecular forces. These break easily when heated, causing the polymer to melt. It can then be remoulded into a different shape and will harden again when cooled.

Thermosetting polymers are made from polymer chains held together by strong covalent bonds. These require lots of energy to break, so don’t soften when heated. These polymers are hard, strong and rigid.

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24
Q

What are the properties of metals?

A

Metals generally have high melting and boiling points, are good conductors of heat and electricity, and are malleable and ductile.

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25
What are alloys?
Alloys are mixtures that contain a metal and at least one other element.
26
What is a useful properties of alloys?
The addition of the new atoms of different radii interrupts the regular lattice structure of the metal, meaning that the layers of atoms can no longer slide over each other. As a result, alloys, unlike pure metals, are not soft and malleable, and are much stronger. This makes them useful for purposes where they might be put under stress - like in buildings.
27
What is steel made from?
Steel is made when other elements are added to iron.
28
What is bronze made from?
Bronze is made when tin is added to copper
29
What is a useful property of bronze, and what is bronze used for?
Bronze is hard, and is used to make medals, statues and decorative ornaments.
30
What is brass made from?
Brass is made when zinc is added to copper.
31
What is a useful property of brass, and what is it used for?
Brass is more malleable than bronze, and is used in situations where less friction is needed, such as in water taps and door fittings.
32
What is meant by the number of 'carats' that gold is?
Pure gold is 24 carat gold. Using this as a reference point, the number of carats that a sample of gold is refers to the percentage of the substance that is pure gold. For example, in 18 carat gold, 18 parts out of 24 would be pure gold, and so 18 carat gold would be 75% gold.
33
What are aluminium alloys used for?
Aluminium alloys are used to make aircraft.
34
What is corrosion?
Corrosion is the process by which metals are slowly broken down by reacting with substances in their environment.
35
What is rusting?
Rusting is the corrosion of iron.
36
Give the word equation for rusting.
iron + water + oxygen -> hydrated iron(III) oxide
37
What type of reaction is rusting?
Rusting is a redox reaction.
38
What is the difference between the corrosion of aluminium and iron?
When metals corrode, it is only the surface metal that corrodes, since it is the only part of the metal that is exposed to substances in the environment. When iron rusts, the rust itself can flake off the metal, meaning that eventually the entire metal can break down. On the other hand, when aluminium corrodes, the aluminium oxide does not flake off, but instead forms a protective layer around the metal, preventing it from corroding further.
39
What are the two different methods of preventing iron from rusting?
The two different methods of preventing iron from rusting are barrier methods and sacrificial methods.
40
What are barrier methods?
Barrier methods prevent any oxygen or water from touching the iron. Examples include painting the iron, coating it with oil, or electrolysing the iron to cover it in a thin layer of another metal.
41
What are sacrificial methods?
Sacrificial methods involve covering the iron with another, more reactive metal (e.g. aluminium or zinc) that will react with the oxygen instead of the iron.
42
What is an example of a method of preventing iron from rusting that is both a barrier and sacrificial method?
Galvanising iron (a process in which the iron is coated in a layer of zinc) is both a barrier and sacrificial method.
43
What are natural resources?
Natural resources are resources that are found in nature without human input.
44
What are synthetic resources?
Synthetic resources are resources made by scientists that are not found in nature. They can replace or supplement natural resources.
45
What are finite resources?
Finite resources are resources that are being used faster than they are being produced.
46
What are renewable resources?
Renewable resources are resources that are being used at the same rate or slower than they are being produced.
47
What is sustainable development?
Sustainable development is an approach to human and economic development that meets the needs of the present generations, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
48
What is reuse?
Reuse refers to lengthening the life of an item by using it for a different purpose.
49
What is recycling?
Recycling is the process of collecting and processing materials that would otherwise be thrown away, and turning them into new products.
50
What is a life cycle assessment?
A life cycle assessment is an assessment of the environmental impact of a product during its lifetime.
51
What are the four main stages of a life cycle assessment?
The four main stages of a life cycle assessment are: 1) Extracting and processing the raw materials. 2) Manufacturing and packaging the product. 3) Using the product. 4) Disposing of the product.
52
What is important to consider when evaluating the use of a product in a life cycle assessment?
When evaluating the use of a product in a life cycle assessment, it is important to consider not only how polluting the product is but how long it is used for.
53
What three factors must be considered at each stage of a life cycle assessment?
The three factors that must be considered at each stage of a life cycle assessment are the use of water, transport and energy.
54
What is potable water?
Potable water is water that is safe for humans to drink. It is not necessarily water that is completely pure.
55
Why is raw water not safe to drink?
Raw water contains dissolved ions, harmful chemicals and pollutants, microorganisms, insoluble materials like sand and stones and potentially high levels of salts.
56
What criteria must water meet to be considered potable?
For water to be considered potable, it must: a) Not have too many dissolved substances (e.g. salts). b) Not contain any microorganisms. c) Have a pH of between 6.5 and 8.5.
57
What are the different methods by which potable water can be obtained?
Potable water can be obtained by treating freshwater (e.g. rivers, lakes or aquifers), by desalinating seawater, or by treating wastewater.
58
What are the benefits of relying on freshwater?
Freshwater is easy to access, does not require much energy (comparatively) to treat, and is continually replaced.
59
Describe how freshwater is treated.
1) The water is screened by passing it through a wire mesh, which will filter out any large objects like plastic bottles or leaves. 2) The water is passed through a coarse filter made from sand and gravel, which filters out smaller things like bits of rock. 3) The water is sterilised to kill any microorganisms. This can be done by bubbling chlorine gas through it, exposing it to ozone or exposing it to UV radiation.
60
What is desalination?
Desalination is a process that obtains potable water from seawater.
61
What two methods can be used to desalinise water?
Desalination can take place through simple distillation or reverse osmosis (which essentially involves filtering the water using a membrane).
62
What are the three main sources of waste water?
Sources of waste water include domestic (e.g. waste water from showers, sinks and toilets), agricultural systems (nutrient runoff and animal waste) and industrial (chemical waste).
63
Describe how waste water is treated.
1) The sewage is screened by passing it through a wire mesh, which will filter out any large objects. 2) The sewage is left to sit in a sedimentation tank, which separates the water into sludge and effluent. 3) The organic matter in the sludge and effluent are broken down by bacteria under anaerobic and aerobic conditions, respectively. 4) The water from the effluent is now safe to release back into the environment, and the cakes formed from the sludge can either be burned as a fuel (which releases methane) or used as a fertiliser. 5) If the source of the waste water was industrial, other chemicals may need to be added or the sewage may need to be subjected to UV radiation.
64
Describe a method to test the pH and mass of dissolved substances in a sample of water.
1) Use universal indicator to test the pH of the water. 2) Measure and record the mass of an empty evaporating basin. 3) Pour 10 cm^3 water into the evaporating basin and evaporate the water using a bunsen burner until the water has evaporated. 4) Once the evaporating basin is cool, reweigh and record the change in mass. 5) Calculate the mass of dissolved solids in the water.
65
Describe a method to use simple distillation to purify water.
1) Place the water sample in a conical flask and set up the apparatus for distillation. 2.) Heat the water gently using a bunsen burner until it boils, then reduce the heat so the water boils gently. 3) Collect around 1 cm depth of water in the cooled test tube, then stop and turn the bunsen burner off. 4) Analyse the water you have distilled with cobalt chloride paper.
66
What is the Haber process?
The Haber process is the term given to a chemical reaction whereby ammonia is produced from nitrogen and hydrogen
67
Give the word and symbol equation for the Haber process
nitrogen + hydrogen -> ammonia N2 + 3H2 -> 2NH3
68
Why is the Haber process so important?
The ammonia produced in the Haber process is used to make nitrogen-based fertilisers, which is needed to feed the world's population.
69
What are the conditions at which the Haber process takes place?
The Haber process takes place at 450°C, at 200 atm and with an iron catalyst.
69
Where are the nitrogen and hydrogen aquired?
The nitrogen is taken from the air and the hydrogen is taken from hydrocarbons.
70
Explain why a temperature of 450 °C is used in the Haber process.
A temperature of 450 °C is used in the Haber process as a compromise between needing a lower temperature to get a higher yield and needing to have a fast rate of reaction. It is also very expensive and potentially dangerous to have a very high temperature.
71
Explain why a pressure of 200 atm is used in the Haber process.
A pressure of 200 atm is used in the Haber process since a high pressure is needed for both a high rate of reaction and a high yield. It is, however, very expensive and potentially dangerous to have an even higher pressure, and so 200 atm is used.
72
Describe how the Haber process is carried out.
The nitrogen and hydrogen are combined in the reaction vessel with the iron catalyst at 450 °C and 200 atm, where they form a mixture of gaseous ammonia, nitrogen and hydrogen. This mixture is then pumped into a condenser where the ammonia condenses to form liquid ammonia and is collected. The nitrogen and hydrogen remain gaseous and are pumped back into the reaction vessel.
73
What is a fertiliser?
A fertiliser is a substance that is applied to soil, in order to supply plants with nutrients.
74
How are fertilisers made?
In the past, fertilisers were usually made from animal waste such as cow manure. Now though, we tend to use formulated fertilisers, which are made in factories.
75
What three main elements do formulated fertilisers contain?
The three main elements that plants needs from the soil are are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). For this reason, fertilisers normally consist mainly of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium compounds. This is why we sometimes call them NPK fertilisers. NPK fertilisers are formulations of various salts containing appropriate percentages of these three elements
76
Why do plants need nitrogen?
Nitrogen is important to plants as it is required to make amino acids and hence proteins, which are essential for growth.
77
How is the nitrogen for fertilisers obtained?
The main source of nitrogen in fertilisers is ammonia, which is made in the Haber process.
78
What are the different types of nitrogen fertilisers?
Ammonia can react with oxygen and water in a series of reactions to make nitric acid, or it can react with acids to form ammonium salts. If nitric acid reacts with ammonia, it will form ammonium nitrate, an especially good compound to use in a fertiliser as it contains two sources of nitrogen.
79
How is the phosphorus for fertilisers obtained?
Phosphate is be mined from the ground as phosphate rock.
80
What are the different types of phosphorus fertilisers?
Reacting phosphorus with nitric acid produces phosphoric acid and calcium nitrate. Reacting phosphorus with sulfuric acid produces calcium sulfate and calcium phosphate (this mixture is known as single superphosphate). Reacting phosphorus with phosphoric acid only produces calcium phosphate (also called triple superphosphate).
81
How is the potassium for fertilisers obtained?
Potassium chloride and potassium sulphate can be both be mined from the ground and then used directly in fertilisers.

A Chemistry (5 decks)

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