10. Using resources

What do industries use the Earth’s natural resources for?

To manufacture useful products.

What do chemists aim to minimize to operate sustainably?

Use of limited resources, energy, waste, and environmental impact.

What is sustainable development?

Development that meets current needs without stopping future generations from meeting theirs.

Give examples of natural products supplemented or replaced by agricultural and synthetic products.

Food, timber, clothing, fuels.

What is the difference between finite and renewable resources?

Finite resources are limited and will run out; renewable resources can be replenished naturally.

What is potable water?

Water safe to drink with low dissolved salts and microbes; not chemically pure.

How is potable water produced in the UK?

By choosing fresh water sources, filtering through beds, and sterilising with chlorine, ozone, or UV light.

What are two methods to desalinate salty or sea water?

Distillation and reverse osmosis.

Why does desalination require a lot of energy?

Because it takes a lot of energy to separate salts from water.

What are the main steps in sewage waste water treatment?

Screening, grit removal, sedimentation (sludge and effluent), anaerobic digestion of sludge, aerobic treatment of effluent.

What is phytomining?

Using plants to absorb metal compounds, then harvesting and burning them to get metal-containing ash.

What is bioleaching?

Using bacteria to produce solutions containing metal compounds for metal extraction.

How can copper be extracted from copper compound solutions?

By displacement using scrap iron or by electrolysis.

What stages are included in a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)?

Extraction and processing, manufacturing and packaging, use and operation, disposal and transport.

Why is LCA not purely objective?

Because it involves value judgements and data can be selectively used or misused.

How does reducing, reusing, and recycling materials help the environment?

It reduces the use of limited resources, energy consumption, waste, and environmental impact.

Name some materials that can be recycled or reused.

Metals, glass, ceramics, plastics.

How can glass bottles be reused or recycled?

Reused directly or crushed and melted to make new glass products.

Why is recycling metals important?

It reduces the need for mining limited metal ores and saves energy.