Chemical Industry Flashcards
What are the main uses of chemicals produced by the industry?
Agriculture (fertilisers), medicine, manufacturing, and energy production.
What are the three main aims of industrial processes?
High yield, low cost, minimal environmental impact.
Give an example of an important industrially produced chemical.
Ammonia (NH₃) – used in fertilisers.
What is an example of a process that produces sulfuric acid?
The Contact Process
What is meant by sustainability in the chemical industry?
Using resources efficiently, minimising waste, and reducing environmental impact.
What factors determine the best reaction conditions?
Availability of raw materials, energy requirements, reaction rate, equilibrium yield, atom economy, and environmental impact.
Why is energy efficiency important in industry?
Reduces costs and minimises environmental impact.
What is a limiting reactant?
The reactant that is completely used up first in a reaction, determining the amount of product formed.
How does Le Chatelier’s Principle help optimise conditions?
It predicts how changing temperature, pressure, or concentration affects equilibrium yield.
What is atom economy and why is it important?
The proportion of reactants that become useful products. Higher atom economy = less waste.
What is the balanced equation for the Haber Process?
N2+3H 2⇌2NH3
What conditions are used in the Haber Process?
450°C, 200 atm, iron catalyst.
Why is a moderate temperature used in the Haber process?
Higher temperature increases rate but lowers yield (exothermic reaction).
Why is high pressure used in the Haber process?
High pressure shifts equilibrium to the right, increasing NH₃ yield.
Why is an iron catalyst used in the Haber process?
Increases reaction rate without affecting equilibrium position.
What is the equation for the key step in the Contact Process?
2SO2+O2⇌2SO3
What conditions are used in the Contact Process?
450°C, 2 atm, vanadium(V) oxide (V₂O₅) catalyst.
Why is sulfuric acid important?
Used in fertilisers, detergents, and car batteries.
What is the Chlor-Alkali process used for?
The electrolysis of brine to produce chlorine, hydrogen, and sodium hydroxide.
Why must membranes or diaphragms be used in electrolysis?
To separate the products and prevent unwanted reactions.
What are the two main ways to produce ethanol?
Fermentation and hydration of ethene.
What conditions are used for the hydration of ethene?
300°C, 60 atm, phosphoric acid catalyst.
What are the advantages of fermentation over hydration?
Uses renewable resources but is slower and less efficient.
What is a catalyst?
A substance that increases reaction rate without being used up.
