Topic 10 - Using Resources Flashcards
What are natural resources?
Natural resources are all around us and provide us with the materials we need for shelter, food, warmth and transport.
What can natural resources be? (2)
- Living: plants and animals
- Non-living: Minerals, fossil fuels, water and air
What are finite resources?
Some resources can be replaced by synthetic products. Resources that can not be replaced are called finite.
How does chemistry play an important role in the development of new materials?
Chemistry plays an important role in the development of new materials through sustainable processes that enable the need of the current generation to be met without compromising the availability of natural resources for future generations.
What is rubber? What is it an example of?
Rubber, which is extracted from the sap of trees (called latex), is an example of a natural product that can be replaced by a synthetic one.
What is the replacement material for rubber?
The replacement material for rubber are polymers which have been developed to specifically replace the rubber in many products.
What is an example of how scientific advancement has allowed us to maximise the production of natural products?
The use of fertilisers to enhance crop yields.
What two things can natural resources be classified as?
- Renewable
- Non-renewable (can be described as finite)
What are renewable resources?
Renewable resources are those which will not run out in the foreseeable future as they can be replenished or replaced.
What is an example of a renewable?
Timber is an example of a renewable resource as trees and forests can be replanted after the wood has been harvested, although they do take years to replenish.
What are non-renewable resources?
Finite or non-renewable resources are those that don’t reform quickly enough or don’t reform at all.
What are examples of non-renewable resources?
Examples include minerals from the Earth’s crust and metal ores.
What happens after extraction what makes the extraction process less sustainable?
After extraction, many resources require further processing to make the desired products. These processes require energy and make the extraction process less sustainable.
What are examples of processes that require energy following extraction, making them less sustainable?
Examples include the reduction of metals from ores and the fractional distillation of crude oil.
Why does the extraction of non-renewable resources carries risks?
The Earth’s natural resources are being depleted and large amounts of energy are being consumed in the process of extraction.
What is potable water?
Potable water is water that has been processed and is safe for human consumption and daily use.
What is the difference between potable and pure water?
The difference between pure water and potable water is that pure water is solely made up of H2O molecules, whereas potable water may contain different substances, usually dissolved minerals and salts.
What characteristics should potable water have? (3)
- Have a pH between 6.5 and 8.5.
- The dissolved substances (e.g. salts) will be present is very small regulated quantities
- Be free of bacteria or potentially harmful microbes
When is water considered fresh water?
When it is relatively free from dissolved substances. An example of this is rainwater.
What is surface water?
Water can collect in reservoirs, lakes and rivers and is known as surface water.
What are aquifers? What kind of water do they store?
Porous rocks that store water underground. Water stored here is known as groundwater.
What do methods used to produce potable water depend on?
The methods used to produce potable water depend on available supplies of water and local conditions.
What are the three steps in producing potable water from groundwater?
- choosing an appropriate source of fresh water
- passing the water through filter beds
- sterilising
How does filtration work in the process of producing potable water from groundwater? (2)
- Debris such as pieces of soil and dirt, small pebbles, twigs, etc. are removed by a wire mesh screen
- After this, other debris is filtered through sand beds and gravel