Semester 1 Project Aisha and Shuen Shuen Period 3 Link to google doc: https://docs.google.com/a/hkis.edu.

hk/document/d/17wj51xzBgFL0vBdytTfUvLbAlK_vkB34qdQI t1yZ4yA/edit Climate Change: What is it? Main idea: Climate change, otherwise known as global warming, is a long-term significant rise in the average temperature of the atmosphere and oceans since the late 19th century. The mean surface temperature of the planet has increased by about 0.8C and around two-thirds of that increase has been since 1980. It is caused by the increasing concentration of greenhouse gases which are produced by activities like burning fossil fuels such as coal and carbon and deforestation. What problems it poses: Global warming poses many problems. One problem would be ocean acidification which is caused by the increasing amount of carbon dioxide and the melting of the polar ice-caps which contributes to another problem of sea level rise. Sea level rise would cover up islands which are at sea level. This would mean that most forms of life in the polar ice caps would lose their habitat and due to the increasing pH level in the ocean, this would also destroy many aquatic forms of life. Also because of different temperatures, many crops wouldnt be able to produce as much food. Examples of different variations: Different variations of climate change include an increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, an increase in methane gas which is more potent than carbon dioxide and an increase of nitrogen oxide which traps more than 300 times the heat of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Picture:

A Chemical reaction: A. Classify the reaction: combustion B. Balance the reaction (if not already balanced) and include all

states.

C6H12O6 (s) + 6O2 (g) 6CO2 (g) + 6H2O (g) C. Identify it as a oxidation reduction reaction or not: If oxidation/ reduction you will identify species oxidized & species reduced, & # of e- transferred. Oxidized:6C Reduced:6O # of e- transferred: 24 D. Write the net ionic equation for each reaction: C6H12O6 (s) 6C4+ (g) 6O2- (g) + 6H2+ (g) E. Give qualitative observations of reactants and products: White crystals heated to form water vapor. Proposed solutions: A solution to this problem would be to recycle carbon dioxide which is one of the many pollutants which cause climate change. This would happen by capturing the CO2 without letting it get diluted in the air. It would be captured with an on-board fuel processor. Next would be to use a H2/CO2 active membrane piston reactor which can separate and liquify CO2 forming a liquid hydrocarbon. Next, it gets recycled by a catalytic breakdown of CO2. This happens because sunlight and a titanium catalyst split water molecules. This releases hydrogen ions, O2 gas and electrons. The electrons bind the carbon atoms together and reduce carbon dioxide. After the CO2 has been reduced, it is converted into methanol which is a fuel but it can also be converted into ethanol, gasoline. The reason why this solution is good is because it will decrease the amount of CO2 that is going into the atmosphere as well as create a renewable resource for fuel. Decreasing the amount of CO2 will decrease the climate change.

Water pollution: What is it? Main idea: Water pollution when large bodies of water (lakes, rivers oceans, aquifers and groundwater) get contaminated by pollutants which either directly or indirectly enter the water bodies without being treated to remove the harmful compounds. These pollutants can enter the water by different methods. It is caused by a change in concentration of chemicals and pathogens. Many things are naturally occurring in water but when the levels of those things get too high or too low, that is when it becomes dangerous. An example of this is oxygen-depleting substances. They can be natural materials such as plant matter or man made chemicals as well. Other natural substance which can cause cloudiness blocks light and disrupts plant growth. What problems it poses: Water pollution has disastrous consequences. Some of the problems that it poses are that the water will become unsuitable for many aquatic lifeforms. This will cause many aquatic animals to die which in turn, would cause a disruption of the food chain. As a result of this, we would not be able to eat many forms of seafood because it would be much more scarce and the level of toxins get more concentrated per level of the food trophic structure. Another problem is poses is that if people drink the polluted water, they can get very sick. Examples of different variations: Different types of water pollution are point sources, nonpoint sources and groundwater pollution. Point source water pollution is the pollutants that enter from a single point such as a pipe or a ditch. Some examples of this are discharges from a sewage treatment plant, a storm drain or a factory. Non-point source pollution means that the pollutants

dont come from a single point. It is normally a cumulative effect based on small amounts of the pollutants gathered from a large area. An example of this is nitrogen compounds that leach of of fertilized agricultural lands. Runoff in storm-water from sheet flow are also examples of nonpoint sources. Groundwater pollution is when pollutions in the soil leach into the water below the ground which run into the water. Picture:

A Chemical reaction: A. Classify the reaction: Synthesis reactions B. Balance the reaction (if not already balanced) and include all states. H2O (l) + SO2 (g) H2SO3 (aq) C. Identify it as a oxidation reduction reaction or not: If oxidation/ reduction you will identify species oxidized & species reduced, & # of e- transferred. No reaction D. Write the net ionic equation for each reaction. SO2(g) + H2O(l) HSO3-(aq) + H+(aq) E. Give qualitative observations of reactants and products Colorless gas reacts with water forms a colorless solution. Proposed solutions: A chemical solution to water pollution is the use of Ferrate (VI) ions to remove toxins from water. This would happen by taking Ferrate in an aqueous medium where it decomposes into Fe(III). This produces nascent oxygen. Fe(III) is also a good coagulant so it can make it easier to remove non-degradable impurities. This helps in the treatment of water because it degrades the organic and inorganic properties. It can also be applied to disinfecting the water because it can destroy some pathogens, viruses and bacterias. Another good thing about using Ferrate is that it doesnt produce any toxic products. Toxins in Food and Soil: What is it? Main idea: Toxins in food and soil are environmental toxins, pollutants and chemical pesticides in the soil that plants absorb and distribute throughout the plant cells. These toxins can come

from pesticides, fertilizers and other chemical substances. Its normally caused by industrial activity, agricultural activity or an improper disposal of toxic waste. The most common chemicals are hydrocarbons, petroleum, pesticides, lead, hydrocarbons and other heavy metals. What problems it poses: The problems that it poses are quite severe. It damages the plants which people eat and makes them contain poison. That means that people can get sick from eating the plants. If livestock eat them, this can also be a problem for animals such as cows because the cows will then get the toxins in them. This will make meat also poisonous for people. Examples of different variations: There are many different variations of toxins that end up in the food and soil. Examples of these are sewage waste, pesticides and herbicides, and coal ash. Coal ash is used for commercial, industrial and residential heating. It is also used for ore smelting, which used to be a common source for contamination. During the formation of coal, it naturally concentrates zinc and lead as well as other heavy metals. When it is burned, the metals become ash. They also contain polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which are human carcinogens. Treated sewage has become a fertilizer to land. Because it is treated, it contains more contaminants like organisms, pesticides and heavy metals than the soil. Pesticides, insecticides and herbicides are also a type of toxin that enters the soil. Picture:

Depleting ozone layer: What is it? Main idea: Ozone depletion means that there has been a decline in the total volume of ozone in the Earths stratosphere so there is a decrease in the ozone layer over Earths polar regions. This is called the ozone hole. This is a catalytic destruction of the ozone by halogens. The halogens are transported to the stratosphere after being emitted at the surface of the planet. It is being destroyed by a group of chemicals which contain chlorine or bromine. These chemicals are called ozone-depleting substances. These substances are environmentally safe in the lower atmosphere but they float up into the stratosphere and there, they get broken apart by the UV light which releases the chlorine and bromine. These two elements destroy the ozone because just one molecule of chlorine can break apart thousands of molecules of ozones. What problems it poses: The destruction of the ozone layer poses serious problems to this planet. Depleting the ozone layer will increase the UVB levels on the surface of the planet because the ozone layer absorbs those UV lights from the sun. This means that the less ozone

layer there is, the less protection from the sun there will be. This will lead to increased skin cancer. It would also effect animals because their skin would become more damaged as a result of more exposure. It would also affect crops because many plants such as rice depend on the cyanobacteria in their roots for nitrogen. Since cyanobacteria are sensitive to UV radiation, the plants would not be able to grow as much. Examples of different variations: There are many types of substances which destroy the ozone layer. One of these substances is called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). These are the most used substances and they are responsible for more than 80% of the entire ozone depletion. They are used in things such as refrigerator, dry-cleaning agents, hospital sterilants, foam products and many more. Another substance which is used to destroy the ozone layer are halons. They are used in fire extinguishers where materials would be destroyed by other fire extinguisher chemicals. Halons cause more damage to the ozone layer from the automobile conditioners. Other types of substances are methyl Chloroform which is mainly used in industry and Carbon Tetrachloride. One other substance which is damaging our ozone layer are hydrofluorocarbons (HCFCs). They have become a major substitute for CFCs. They are less harmful to the ozone than CFCs are but they still cause destruction. Picture:

A Chemical reaction: A. Classify the reaction: combination/synthesis B. Balance the reaction (if not already balanced) and include all states. O3 (g) + Cl (g) O2 (g) + ClO (g) C. Identify it as a oxidation reduction reaction or not: If oxidation/ reduction you will identify species oxidized & species reduced, & # of e- transferred. Oxidized: Cl Reduced: O # of e- transferred:2 D. Write the net ionic equation for each reaction.

O3 (g) + Cl (g) O2 (g) + ClO (g) E. Give qualitative observations of reactants and products Colorless oxygen reacts with colorless chloride gas to form colorless gas. Proposed solutions: One proposed solution which involves chemistry is turning crops which contain cellulose into biofuels. An example of this crop is wheat. The cellulose would then be transformed into liquid alkanes. These are straight, branched hydrocarbons which dont contain any oxygen. These alkanes can then be converted into biofuel which can power motor vehicles. This solution is beneficial because plants use CO2 which is produced by motor vehicles. Not only would using biofuels cut back on the emissions that are produced but the crops which contain cellulose would be able to use the CO2 which was produced by the vehicles as a source of carbon for growth. Air pollution: What is it? Main idea: Air pollution is when chemicals, particulates and other biological materials go into the atmosphere. It happens when the air contains harmful amounts dust, fumes and gases. The pollutants normally come from gaseous discharges from industrial activity such as smoke stacks and motor vehicles however there are natural sources like wind-blown dust as well as smoke from fires. Sources of the pollutants can also come from fumes from paint, varnish, hair spray and other aerosol solvents. What problems it poses: Air pollution can increase the risk of respiratory infections, lung cancer and heart disease. It can also cause difficulty in breathing, asthma and the aggravation of existing respiratory and cardiac conditions. In extreme cases, it can also result in death. It has caused about 3.3 million deaths worldwide per year. Since people are breathing in more pollutants, it increases the chance of getting lung cancer. It also forms acid rain. This rain raises the pH in bodies of water making it toxic for forms of aquatic life, it also can kill trees and harm other animals. The nitrogen that is in the acid rain can get deposited on rivers and soil. This affects the nutrients in the soil and water bodies which results in an increase of algae growth. This depletes the water body of the oxygen and develops a dead zone for the organisms in the water. Examples of different variations: There are many different types of air pollutants. These include carbon monoxide which comes from exhaust from vehicles and sulfur dioxide which comes from the combustion of coal. These are both primary pollutants because they affect the air directly but if these go through a chemical reaction, the result are compounds called secondary pollutants. An example of this is photochemical smog. Another example of a primary pollutant are nitrogen oxides like nitrogen dioxide. These are expelled from a high temperature combustion and are naturally produced during thunderstorms by electrical discharge. The main pollutant is carbon dioxide which is a greenhouse gas. Although all things produce carbon dioxide, it is considered a pollutant when associated with motor vehicles. Picture:

A Chemical reaction: A. Classify the reaction: Single replacement B. Balance the reaction (if not already balanced) and include all states. 4FeS2 (s) + 11O2 (g) 2Fe2O3 (s) + 8SO2 (g) C. Identify it as a oxidation reduction reaction or not: If oxidation/ reduction you will identify species oxidized & species reduced, & # of e- transferred. Oxidized: Fe Reduced: S # of e- transferred:8 D. Write the net ionic equation for each reaction. 4FeS2 (s) + 11O2 (g) 2Fe2O3 (s) + 8SO2 (g) E. Give qualitative observations of reactants and products Impurities such as pyrite or iron pyrite are found in coal, when we burn coal it interacts with atmospheric oxygen to form iron oxide and sulfur dioxide (a primary air pollutant). Proposed solutions: One solution to combat air pollution is the use of catalytic converters. These are placed in motor vehicles and reduce the emissions that they produce such as hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and oxides of nitrogen. These catalytic converters are called three-way catalytic converters. They work by converting the byproducts of combustion into hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide undergo catalytic combustions but the oxides of nitrogen get reduced to become nitrogen. This is because the reactants go through catalyzed chemical reactions. All of these things are less toxic than the reactants so wouldnt damage the air.

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Nicolet, Gabrielle. "Three Types of Global Warming Causes | EHow." EHow. Demand Media, 09 Mar. 2011. Web. 01 Dec. 2013. <http://www.ehow.com/info_8040983_three-types-globalwarming-causes.html>. "Solutions | Water Pollution | Environmental Health." ThinkQuest. Oracle Foundation, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2013. <http://library.thinkquest.org/07aug/01735/files/solutions_waterpollution.html>. "What Are the Effects of Water Pollution." What Are the Effects of Water Pollution. ESchooltoday, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2013. <http://eschooltoday.com/pollution/waterpollution/effects-of-water-pollution.html>. Benson, Jonathan. "Study: Pesticides, Toxins Can Absorb Directly into Crops through Soil Learn More:." Natural News.com. N.p., 4 Apr. 2011. Web. 1 Dec. 2013. <http://www.naturalnews.com/031949_pesticides_toxins.html#>. Casey, Tina. "What a Twist! Earthworms Could Clean Up Toxic Waste."CleanTechnica. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2013. <http://cleantechnica.com/2010/12/07/what-a-twist-earthworms-couldclean-up-toxic-waste/>. "The Causes of Ozone Depletion." BC Air Quality. British Columbia, n.d. Web. 2 Dec. 2013. <http://www.bcairquality.ca/101/ozone-depletion-causes.html>. "What Is Air Pollution?" What Is Air Pollution? EPA Victoria, n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2013. <http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/air/aq4kids/pollution.asp>. "Effects of Air Pollution on Humans, Plants and Animals." Effects of Air Pollution on Humans, Plants and Animals. ESchooltoday, n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2013. <http://eschooltoday.com/pollution/air-pollution/effects-of-air-pollution.html>. "Air Pollution." National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2013. <http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/pollution-overview/>. Lee, Seung-Mok, and Diwakar Tiwari. "Chapter 12." Ferrate(VI) in the Treatment of Wastewaters: A New Generation Green Chemical. CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 License, 1 Apr. 2011. Web. 03 Dec. 2013. <http://www.intechopen.com/books/waste-water-treatment-andreutilization/ferrate-vi-in-the-treatment-of-wastewaters-a-new-generation-green-chemical>. Ahuja, Satinder (Sut). "Green Chemistry and Other Novel Solutions to Water Pollution: Overview." N.p., 13 Mar. 2013. Web. 3 Dec. 2013. <http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/bk2013-1123.ch001>.