Chemicals

Reading Lesson
All substances are chemical. A chemical has a defined chemical composition, for example, pure water has a
defined composition of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Chemicals can exist in four different
states: liquid, solid, gas or plasma. Chemicals can change between states with changes of temperature or
pressure. Water normally exists as a liquid, but reducing its temperature below freezing will change it into
ice, a solid. Boiling water will turn into steam -a gas. Plasma is the state of a chemical when it has been
ionized. This means that the number of electrons in the chemical's atoms have been changed resulting in a
positive or negative charge. Chemical engineers work with the processes that combine chemicals, separate
them, or change them from one state to another.

1. Read and answer. Read the text about chemicals and their different states and answer
the questions
What are the four states of chemicals?

A: solid B: liquid

C: D: plasma
gas
E: What is the natural state of water:
liquid
F: What is the state of water when it is frozen:
solid
G: What is the state of water when it is boiled:
gas
H: Plasma is the state of a chemical when it has been
iozoned
2. Read and answer. Read the text below about types of chemicals and their sources and
answer the questions
A chemical which is composed of only one type of atom with a unique number of protons, is called an
element. There are 118 elements currently known to man, and they are summarized in a table called the
"periodic table". All other chemicals are called compounds because they are composed of a combination of
other chemicals. For example, hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) are elements, but water is a compound
chemical made of both hydrogen and oxygen. The chemical name of water is H,0 because each molecule of
water contains two hydrogen atoms and one of oxygen. In nature we find both elements and compounds,
but many chemicals we use are synthetic or man-made. There are even some synthetic elements These are
elements with unique types of atoms that exist in the universe but they do not exist naturally on earth. Most
of the chemicals we use in everyday life are synthetic chemicals created for a specific purpose by man.
Are the following sentences True or False?
1. The periodic table is a list of chemicals. F

2. An element has only one type of atom. T

3. Compounds are combinations of other chemicals. T
4. Water is compound of three other chemicals.
F
5. All elements are natural.
F
6. All compounds are synthetic. F
7. Water contains one atom of oxygen and two atoms of hydrogen. T

3. Read the text below about the dangers of chemicals and complete the sentences
Chemicals are used in every part of modern life, from the chair we sit in to the food we eat These chemicals
are carefully controlled by governments and manufacturers because they can be dangerous to health.
Chemicals that can damage an organism are called toxic. Different chemicals have different levels of
toxicity. Chemicals used in insecticides are toxic to insects but under normal conditions have a low level of
toxicity to humans. Chemicals used in bleach are not dangerously toxic if used in the normal way but if a
person drank a large amount of bleach they would die. Some chemicals can cause cancer. These are called
carcinogens. Asbestos is an example of a chemical that was widely used in building and construction until it
was discovered to be a carcinogen. Some chemical gases can displace oxygen which can be dangerous
because humans need oxygen to breathe. Some fire extinguisher systems are designed to remove oxygen
from a room where fire is detected. Removing the oxygen extinguishes the fire which needs oxygen, but if a
person is trapped in the room they can die because there is no oxygen. Chemicals which displace oxygen
are called asphyxiants.

1. Asbestos is an example of a carcinogenic chemical.

2. Toxic chemicals can cause damage to a living organism.
3. Chemicals which displace oxygen are called asphyxiants.
4. Carcinogenic chemicals can cause cancer .
5. Chemicals can have different levels of toxicity .
6. Asbestos was widely used in building and construction until it was discovered to be a
carcinogen.
7. Asphyxiants are dangerous because they remove oxygen.
8. Chemicals are closely controlled by governments.

Writing Lesson
1. Read and complete. Read the text below about how we define elements and then
complete the table below.
Each element has a unique Atomic Number that describes the number of protons in the element. Because
Chemical Names are different in each language a common Chemical Symbol is given to each element.
This symbol is two characters long and is often based on the Latin name of the element. The natural State
of an element is either solid, liquid, gas or plasma. Most elements have a Boiling Point and Melting Point,
though for some elements these are not known. The Mass Number is the number of protons and neutrons
contained in an element. Finally, elements are classified by Type as Metal, Non-Metal or Metalloid (in
between metal and non-metal).

Use the words in bold in the text to complete the table below, providing headings to the
details for the element Iron.
1. Chemical Names Iron
2. Atomic Number 26
3. Chemical Symbol Fe
4. Type Metal
5. Melting Point 1,531 C
6. Boiling Point 2,750 C
7. State Solid
8. mass Number 55
 2. Complete. a. Read the description of Phosphorus below and complete the element 1
definition column using the details in the description.
Element 1 Element 2 Description

. Phosphorous . Silver 1. Phosphorus is a non-metal chemical element with the

. 15 . 47 chemical symbol of P. Its normal state is solid. Its melting
. P . Ag point is 44 degrees and its boiling point is 280 degrees.
. Non-Metal , Metal Each phosphorus molecule has 15 protons and 16
Solid , Solid neutrons.
. 44 . 107
. 280 . 961 2. .Silver is a metal chemical element whit the chemical
. 30 . 2155 symbol of Ag. Its normal state is solid. Its melting point is
961 degrees and its boiling point is 107 degrees. Each
silver molecule has 47 protons and 61 neutrons.
.

b. Now write a description of Silver using the definition details for element 2 and the description of
Phosphorus as a model.
3. Rewrite the following sentences in the correct sequence.
Remember to use capitals and full stops at the end of the sentences!
1. neurotoxin / as / a/ insecticide / permethrin / used /is/ in
permethrin is a neurotoxin used as in insecticide

2. displaces / an/a/ chemical / asphyxiant / is / chemical /which / oxygen

An asphyxiant chemical is chemical which displace an oxygen.

3. chemical / called / an / compound / two / more / is / containing / a / or/ chemicals / other

A chemical containing two or other more chemicals is called a compound

4. kill / used / in / bleach / is / microorganisms / hypochlorite / to / sodium

Sodium hypochlorite is used in bleach to kill microorganisms.

5. liquid / a/a/changes/boiled / water / is /when / state/gas / from / to / it

Water changes from a liquid state to a gas when it is boiled