chemistry of environment
components of the natural environment
air -water -soil
what is dissolved into river water
-gases from the air -minerals from rocks -metal compounds -fertilisers -sewage -plastic waste
helpful solutions in rivers
-oxygen -minerals
harmful solutions in rivers
toxic metals -plastics -microbes -nitrates and phosphates
how do we make river water drinkable
water needs treatment to be fit for human consumption
steps to make water drinkable
-find cleanest source of water -remove as many solid particles as possible -remove unwanted dissolved compounds -add chlorine to kill microbes -store wate safely
ways to remove solid particles from water
-filtering -sedimentation -flocculation
flocculation
stitching fine particles together and removing them from the surface
compounds required for plants from fertilisers
-nitrogen -potassium -phosphates
fertilisers
any substance added to soil to make plants more fertile
cons of fertilisers
eutophication -unbalanced nutrients -ph changes -affects crop yield
what makes up the air
21% oxygen 78% nitrogen 1 argon carbon dioxide and other substances
what makes oxygen so important in the air
used in respiration -nesseccary for human life - enables chemical reactions and keep us warm
method to measuring oxygen concentration in air
1-heat a tube containing copper wire then push air from a-b and b-a until copper wire turns black 2-stop heating tube after 3 minutes 3-measure air volume 4-repeat until gas is steady
the main fossil fuels
-coal -petroleum -natural gas -hydrocarbons
how is carbon dioxide formed
in complete combustion of fuels containing carbon
harm caused by carbon dioxide
increases global warming
how is carbon monoxide formed
incomplete combustion of fuel containing carbon
harm caused by carbon monoxide
posionous -prevents oxygen being carried around the body
how are particlates formed
incomplete combustion of fuels containing carbon
harm caused by particlates
links to cancer and respiratory systems
how is sulfur dioxide formed
sulfur compounds in fuels burned
harm caused by sulfur dioxide
forms acid rain
how are nitrogen oxides formed
nitrogen and oxygen reacting in hot motors
what harm is caused by nitrogen oxides
forms photochemical smog
how do catalytic converters work
compartments of a and b a contains nitrogen oxides which are reduced and flow to b. b removes carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon
how is methane formed
microbes break down carbon based materials in the absence of oxygen -grazing animals
how do greenhouse gases work
1 the sun sends out uv rays 2 it heats the earth which reflects some back - the reflected heat escapes the atmosphere -some heat is absorbed by greenhouse gases
effects of climate change
-dry areas become drier - land ice in the artic melting leads to higher sea levels -glaciers melt reducing melt water -extreme weather becomes more common
non-carbon fuel sources
-wind waves tides and flowing rivers -solar power -nuclear power
affects of deforestation
-increase in carbon emmisions
how to reduce methane
-reducing the amount of meat eaten -farmers rearing fewer cattle sheep and goats -eating fish and chicken