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Science 9 > Environmental Chemistry > Flashcards

Environmental Chemistry Flashcards

1
Q

How is aspirin derived from the environment?

A

Aspirin is made up of salicylic acid, from Willow Tree Bark

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2
Q

What makes up the atmosphere?

A

78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.9% Argon, 0.1% Trace (Carbon Dioxide)

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3
Q

What is nitrogen fixation?

A

The process of changing free nitrogen into nitrogen compounds (hydrogen, oxygen) so that it can be used by organisms.

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4
Q

How does nitrogen fixation occur?

A

Bacteria in the root nodules of plants convert free nitrogen into nitrates and nitrites.

Lightning

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5
Q

Nitrates + Nitrites

A

NO3 (nitrates), NO2 (nitrites)

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6
Q

What is pollution?

A

Any change to an environment which is harmful to living things

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7
Q

What is an issue?

A

Conflicting views about an important topic

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8
Q

What is fertilizer?

A

A substance which enriches the soil for optimal plant growth

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9
Q

What do the labels on a fertilizer bag represent?

A

nitrogen - phosphorus - potassium

possibly “S” for sulphur

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10
Q

What is a pesticide?

A

chemicals used to kill pests

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11
Q

What is a herbicide?

A

chemicals used to kill plants

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12
Q

What is an insecticide?

A

chemicals used to kill insects

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13
Q

What is a fungicide?

A

chemicals used to kill fungi

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14
Q

What type of chemicals are put into the environment by farming?

A

Pesticides, Herbicides etc

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15
Q

What type of chemicals are put into the environment by wastewater?

A

Motor Oil, Rock Salt

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16
Q

What type of chemicals are put into the environment by fuel combustion?

A

Carbon Dioxide, Water Vapour

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17
Q

What type of chemicals are put into the environment by industrial processes?

A

Sulphur Dioxide (g)

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18
Q

What is solid waste?

A

Garbage

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19
Q

What are sanitary landfill sites?

A

Landfills specially built to prevent waste chemicals from moving into the soil (plastic liner and compacted clay)

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20
Q

What is wastewater?

A

Water that has been affected by human use

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21
Q

What is sewage?

A

Wastewater containing dissolved or undissolved materials from kitchens, bathrooms, laundry

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22
Q

What is a septic tank?

A

An underground container where bacteria breaks down organic materials

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23
Q

What is effluent water?

A

Water which has been treated and is then pumped into a natural body of water

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24
Q

What are fossil fuels?

A

ex) coal, oil and natural gas

Formed from dead plants and animals

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25
Q

Fossil Fuel Combustion Reaction

A

hydrocarbon + oxygen - carbon dioxide + water + energy

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26
Q

What is natural gas that contains hydrogen sulphide called?

A

a “sour gas”

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27
Q

What is an acid?

A

An acid is a compound with a pH lower then 7

Higher concentration of hydrogen ions

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28
Q

What is a base?

A

A base is a compound with a pH higher then 7

Lower concentration of hydrogen ions

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29
Q

What is litmus paper?

A

Determines whether or not a solution os an acid or a vase (not very precise)

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30
Q

What is a universal indicator?

A

Determines the pH of a substance using colour (more precise)

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31
Q

What do an acid and a base form?

A

acid + base - “salt” + water

32
Q

What are the most common chemical elements in living things?

A

Carbon, Oxygen, and Hydrogen

33
Q

What are macronutrients?

A

Nutrients in which you need lots of ex) organic molecules

34
Q

What are micronutrients?

A

Nutrients in which you need smaller amounts of ex) Selenium

35
Q

What are the four groups of organic molecules?

A

Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins and Amino Acids, Nucleic Acid

36
Q

What is the test for glucose?

A

Benedict’s Solution

37
Q

What is the test for starch?

A

Iodine Solution

38
Q

What is the test for protein?

A

Biuret Solution

39
Q

What is diffusion?

A

The movement of a substance form an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration

40
Q

What is osmosis?

A

The movement of water from an area of high concentration of water to an area of low concentration of water

41
Q

What is active transport?

A

Movement of low concentration to high concentration through the use of energy.

42
Q

What is hydrolysis?

A

The breakdown of large organic molecules through `the use of water

43
Q

What is a substrate?

A

The material in which a material moves or lives

44
Q

What are the five categories of water usage?

A 
human drinking water
recreation (swimming)
livestock drinking water
irrigation
protection of aquatic life
45
Q

What characteristics are important for aquatic life survival?

A

dissolved oxygen content, acidity, heavy metals, pesticides

46
Q

What are biological indicators?

A

What lives around it, what doesn’t love around it

47
Q

What is the concentration of chemicals in the environment measured in?

A

parts per million (ppm)

48
Q

How do you calculate ppm?

A

ml divided by l or cross multiply to get the value of x

49
Q

What is toxicity?

A

How poisonous a substance is

50
Q

What is LD50?

A

Lethal Dose and 50%

The amount of a substance given to population according to body weight (higher toxicity, lower LD50 number

51
Q

How can air quality be determined?

A
  • Measuring the level of pollutants in the air

- Estimating the the amount of emissions from pollution sources

52
Q

What is sulphur dioxide?

A

a major air pollutant which affects the respiratory system and can be removed with scrubbers

53
Q

What is ozone?

A

ozone in the atmosphere helps to protect us from UV rays , on the ground however it is harmful to be inhaled by humans. Lightning can cause ozone

54
Q

What are greenhouse gases?

A

water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxides

55
Q

What is the greenhouse effect?

A

Gases in the atmosphere act like glass in a greenhouse and keep the heat in. If more greenhouse gases are placed into the atmosphere then more heat is trapped in causing global warming

56
Q

What are chlorofluorocarbons?

A

the products responsible for the thinning of the ozone layer, used in refrigerators, aerosol cans.

57
Q

What are the three stages of transportation of substances in air?

A
  1. Release of the chemical
  2. Dispersion of the chemical into the atmosphere
  3. Deposition of the chemical in soil or water
58
Q

What are two factors that affect the distribution of airborne pollutants?

A

lack of wind and precipitation

59
Q

What is groundwater?

A

The water that fills up spaces below the soil

60
Q

What is the water table?

A

The top of the groundwater zone

61
Q

What are pores?

A

the tiny spaces between soil grains

62
Q

List 4 ways contaminants can enter surface water systems

A
  • air
  • groundwater
  • run off from farm fields
  • outflow from storm sewers
63
Q

What is a leachate?

A

a water that takes on and dissolves substances in the soil and carries them

64
Q

What is biodegradation?

A

The breakdown of organic material using algae, protozoan, fungi, earthworms

65
Q

What are PCB’s?

A

human made oils used in electrical equipment

66
Q

What is phytoremediation?

A

A technique used to reduce the concentration of harmful chemicals in soil or ground water

67
Q

What is photolysis?

A

The breakdown of compounds with sunlight

68
Q

What is biomagnification?

A

The increase of a chemical as it moves up the food chain

69
Q

When and where did the Exxon Valdez leak oil?

A

The south coast of Prince William Sound of Alaska in 1989

70
Q

How did the oil spill get cleaned-up?

A 
biodegraded by light in water
degraded by light in air
beached 
recovered by ships 
deposited in sub-tidal sediment
dispersed in water
absorbed by oil eating grass
71
Q

What are new oil spill procedures?

A

All spills have to be reported
Training for employees
Emergency response plans are in place

72
Q

MSDS stands for

A

Material Safety Data Sheets

73
Q

What are the 4 scenarios for the labels?

A

transport, supply, workplace us, disposal

74
Q

What information must a company provide for government approval?

A

intended use, safety precautions, instructions, health effects

75
Q

What are 2 guidelines for safe disposal of household hazardous chemicals?

A

Empty aerosol containers

Take antifreeze to a recycling centre

Science 9 (1 decks)

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