Chemistry of the Environment - C10

What is the test for water

The test for water is the anhydrous copper(II) sulfate test which goes from white to blue

What must water be in chemical analysis

Water must be pure

What does it mean when water is pure

When water is pure it means that it’s only made up of water molecules with no impurities or contaminants present.

What useful substances does natural water contain

Natural water contains minerals and dissolved oxygen.

What harmful substances does natural water contain

Natural water contains lead compounds, plastics, sewage, nitrates and phosphates.

How can you purify water

water is purified by water treatment plants which put it through filtration, then sedimentation, then carbon filtration and finally chlorination.

What is filtration

Filtration when a wire mesh screens out large debris such as leaves

what is sedimentation

Sedimentation is when iron sulfate or aluminium sulfate is added to the water, which makes the fine particles clump together and settle at the bottom

What is carbon filtration

Carbon filtration is when a carbon filter is used to remove any unwanted tastes and odours

What is chlorination

Chlorination is when chlorine gas is bubbled through to kill harmful bacteria and other microorganisms

What are the three main essential elements in fertilisers

The three essential elements in fertilisers nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium

What happens if plants dont get enough of NPK fertilisers

If plants dont get enough of these NPK fertilisers their growth and life processes will be affected

What are NPK fertilisers 

NPK fertilisers are fertilisers that contain nitrogen, phosphorus and pottasium.

What is the point of NPK fertilisers

NPK fertilisers give the soil the elements they are missing or provides more of them which helps increase crop yield and allows the crops to grow faster and bigger.

What is another fertiliser that can be used

Another fertiliser that can be used is ammonium salts or nitrates as they are both good sources of nitrogen

How can ammonium salts be made

Ammonium salts can be made by reacting ammonia with an acid

How can Nitrates be made

Nitrates can be made by reacting nitric acid with a base

What gas does air mostly consist of

The air mostly consists of nitrogen

How much oxygen is in the air

The air consists of 21 percent oxygen

What gas does the complete combustion of hydrocarbons produce

Carbon dioxide is produced from the complete combustion of hydrocarbons

What affect does carbon dioxide have on earth

Carbon dioxide causes global warming

What is methane released from

Methane is released from decomposition and waste gases

What affect does methane have on earth

Methane causes global warming

Where does sulfur dioxide come from

Sulfur dioxide comes from sulfur impurities in fossil fuels that are burnt

What does sulfur dioxide cause

Sulfur dioxide causes acid rain

What affect does acid rain have on organisms

Acid rain kills plants and trees also making lakes acidic resulting in animals dying

What affect does acid rain have on structures

Acid rain damages limestone buildings and stone statues also possibly causing metals to corrode

How are oxides of nitrogen produced

Oxides of nitrogen are produced by the internal combustion of engines

How do cars reduce the release of oxides of nitrogen

Cars contain catalytic converters which break up oxides of nitrogen into nitrogen gas and oxygen gas

What is one way oxides of nitrogen can be dangerous

Oxides of nitrogen can contribute to acid rain