C10: Using Resources

Question 1

What are resources needed for?

Answer 1

-Warmth
-Shelter
-Food
-Transport

Question 2

What are examples of natural resources?

Answer 2

-Food
-Wood for building
-Fuels for burning, energy
-Materials for fabrics/clothing e.g. silk, cotton

Question 3

Define sustainability

Answer 3

Using natural materials in a way that does not compromise future generations ability to do the same

Question 4

What is potable water?

Answer 4

Water that has low enough levels of dissolved salts & microbes that it is safe to drink

Question 5

What is the most effective way of obtaining potable water?

Answer 5

By taking it from a freshwater source e.g. river, as this will have very little salt dissolved in it
It’s then filtered to remove large insoluble particles, then sterilised using chlorine, ozone or UV

Question 6

What is desalination?

Answer 6

The removal of salt (e.g. from seawater) by distillation or reverse osmosis so it is safe to drink. Disadvantage: requires a lot pf energy

Question 7

How is waste water produced?

Answer 7

-When we go to the toilet
-From industrial processes
Harmful chemicals and organic matter must be removed before it is released back into the environment

Question 8

How can we remove harmful chemicals from waste water?

Answer 8

-Screening/grit removal
-Sedimentation
-Sludge (solid) is treated by anaerobic digestion
-Liquid effluent is treated aerobically

Question 9

How do we obtain most metals?

Answer 9

From their ores which are mined from the ground.
The pure metal is then obtained by electrolysis or displacement reaction.

Question 10

What is phytomining?

Answer 10

Plants absorb copper ions into their roots. Burn, then obtain copper from the ash.

Question 11

What is bioleaching?

Answer 11

Bacteria produce leachate solutions that contain copper ions that can be extracted.

Question 12

What are disadvantages of phytomining and bioleaching?

Answer 12

Produce very low yields

Question 13

Why is a life cycle assessment carried out?

Answer 13

To predict the impact of a new product on the environment.

Question 14

What is considered in a life cycle assessment?

Answer 14

-Extraction & processing of raw materials
-Manufacturing & packaging
-Use over it’s lifetime
-Disposal
-Transportation

Question 15

How can we reduce our impact?

Answer 15

-Using products less
-Reducing materials & energy needed to make
-Recycling

Question 16

What is corrosion?

Answer 16

-The destruction of metals over time due to chemical reactions

Question 17

When do we we say iron rusts?

Answer 17

When it corrodes due to it reacting with oxygen + water

Question 18

When does copper corrode?

Answer 18

When it reacts with oxygen to make copper oxide

Question 19

What colour is aluminium oxide?

Answer 19

White

Question 20

What are sacrificial metals?

Answer 20

Metals that we cover materials with that will corrode before the important metal underneath does

Question 21

What is galvanising?

Answer 21

Covering another metal in zinc

Question 22

What are alloys?

Answer 22

Mixtures of metals to fulfil a specific need

Question 22

What is bronze made up of?

Answer 22

Copper + tin

Question 23

What is brass made up of?

Answer 23

Copper + zinc

Question 24

What is jewellery gold made up of?

Answer 24

Gold + silver + copper + zinc
24 carat = 100% gold
18 carat = 75% gold etc

Question 25

What is steel made up of?

Answer 25

Iron + carbon

Question 26

What is stainless steel made up of?

Answer 26

Steel + chromium/nickel

Question 27

Why are alloys stronger than pure metals?

Answer 27

-Different sized atoms disrupting lattice
-Layers cannot slide over each other as easily

Question 28

What is aluminium used to make?

Answer 28

Light/low density alloys

Question 29

How is soda-lime glass made?

Answer 29

Heating sand, sodium carbonate + limestone

Question 30

What is borosilicate glass made from?

Answer 30

Sand + boron trioxide
Has a higher melting point

Question 31

How is pottery made?

Answer 31

Heating shaped clay in a furnace

Question 32

What are composites?

Answer 32

A combination of two materials (not two metals), with one binding the other, usually resulting in strong and light materials
e.g. carbon fibre (reinforced polymers)

Question 33

What causes change in the density of polymers?

Answer 33

The conditions used when making them

Question 34

What is HDPE?

Answer 34

High density polyethene

Question 35

What is LDPE?

Answer 35

Low density polyethene

Question 36

What happens when thermosoftening polymers are heated?

Answer 36

They melt

Question 37

Why do thermosetting polymers not melt when heated?

Answer 37

Due to crosslinks between polymers increasing the attractive forces between the layers

Question 38

How does the Haber process work?

Answer 38

-Nitrogen - from air, reacts with hydrogen - from electrolysis of water
-They’re passed over a catalyst at a temperature of 450 degrees celsius and a pressure of over 200 atm (atmospheres)
-The high pressure favours the forward reaction, while a higher temperature increases the rate of reaction but it also favours the reverse reaction so 400 degrees celsius is a compromise temperature
-This is to maximise the yield of ammonia produces, while ensuring the reaction also happens at a reasonable rate

Question 39

What does the Haber process make?

Answer 39

Ammonia

Question 40

What elements’ salts are fertilisers made from?

Answer 40

Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Potassium
(NPK fertilisers)

Question 41

What is ammonia used to make?

Answer 41

Ammonium salts

Question 42

How are potassium chloride & potassium sulphate obtained?

Answer 42

Through mining

Question 43

How is phosphate obtained?

Answer 43

Mined phosphate rock
Treated with an acid before being added to the fertiliser