Chemistry Of The

Environment
Chapter 10
Made using the Cambridge IGCSE™
Chemistry 0620 syllabus
Specification
 10.1

Water
- Uses of water,
- Unique properties of water,
- Tests for water and the purity of water,
- Substances found in water,
- Treatment of water,
- Water cycle.
Uses of Water
- 70% of Earth’s surface In Home: In Industries:
- Human Body :  Cooking,  As a solvent,
o 72% in bones,
 Cleaning,  As a coolant,
o 82% in Kidneys,
o 90% in blood.
 Drinking.  Cleaning,
 Chemical Reagent.
Unique Properties of
Water
 Unusually high boiling point for a
molecule with such low molecular mass,
 Greater specific heat capacity than many
other liquids,
 Density decreases when frozen.
Tests for Water
Anhydrous Cobalt(II) Chloride
Colour of solid anhydrous Cobalt(II)
Chloride: Blue
Colour of hydrous Cobalt(II) Chloride: Pink

Cobalt(II) Chloride paper is used more than

solid Cobalt(II) Chloride.

Anhydrous – (Substance) containing no water

Tests for Water
Anhydrous Copper(II) Sulphate
Colour of solid anhydrous Copper(II)
Sulphate: White
Colour of hydrous Copper(II) Sulphate: Blue

Testing for purity of
Water
The boiling and melting point of
pure water is sharp and specific.
Boiling Point = 100o Celsius
Melting Point = 0o Celsius
Mixtures have range of melting point and
boiling points as they consist of different
substances which boil and melt at different
temperature.
Impurities have boiling point of more than 100o
Celsius and melting point of less than 0o Celsius.
Distilled water is water that has been heated
forming vapour, and then condensed back to a
liquid. It contains very few impurities therefore
it is used in practical chemistry.
Tap water contains more impurities which
could interfere with chemical reactions so is
typically not used.
Substances found in Water
Water is found in natural sources such as River, Lakes and Underground water sources.

Water from natural sources contain substances like:

o Dissolved oxygen,
o Metal compounds,
o Plastics,
o Sewage,
o Harmful microbes,
o Nitrates from fertilisers,
o Phosphates from fertilisers and detergents.
Substances found in Water
Potentially harmful substances Beneficial substances
o Metal compounds - some are toxic like aluminium and o Dissolved oxygen - essential for aquatic
lead
life
o Some plastics - these may be harmful to aquatic life in
many ways, such as getting trapped in plastic waste o Metal compounds - some provide essential
o Sewage - contains harmful microbes which can cause minerals which are necessary for life,
disease such as calcium and magnesium.
o Nitrate & phosphates from fertilisers - these can
promote the growth of aquatic plant life which leads to
deoxygenation of water. This can cause eutrophication.
Treatment of
Water
Water is supplied from rivers,
lakes and underground water
sources.
1. Impure water is passed through screens to filter
out floating debris.

(Aluminium sulfate is added to coagulate small

particles of clay forming larger clumps)

2. Filtration through coarse sand traps larger,

insoluble particles also removing some of the
bacteria.

3. A sediment tank has flocculants, such as

aluminium sulfate, which make the smaller
particles stick together and sink to the bottom of
the tank.

4. These particles are removed by further filtration

through fine sand.
Because addition of chlorine gas makes the water more acidic it i
removed by the addition of sulfur dioxide gas.
5. Water is passed through carbon which removes
taste and odour.
Bacterial diseases caused by untreated water include
6. Chlorine is added, which sterilises the water and Typhoid and Cholera.
kills remaining bacteria.
The Water
Cycle
 10.2

Fertilisers and Ammonia

- Production of Ammonia,
- Haber’s process,
- Properties of Ammonia,
- Use of Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphorus,
- Ammonium and Nitrate salts.
Production of Ammonia
Ammonia is made through the Haber process. Nitrogen and Hydrogen in the correct proportion of
1 Nitrogen to 3 Hydrogens. Haber’s process is a reversible reaction therefore it has certain
conditions.

Nitrogen is taken from the air, by fractional distillation of liquid air.

Hydrogen can be given by two different reactions:

 Steam re-forming (steam added to Methane),
 Steam added to Carbon Monoxide.
Haber’s process
The Reaction: Conditions:
 200 Atmospheric pressure,
Nitrogen + Hydrogen ⇌ Ammonia
 Temperature between 350o Celsius and 500o
N2(g)+ 3H2(g) ⇌ 2NH3(g) Celsius,
 Iron Catalyst.
The reaction is Exothermic.
ΔH = −92 kJ/mol
Properties of Ammonia
Physical properties:
 Colourless gas,
 Less dense than air,
 Pungent, sharp smell,
 Very soluble.
(680 cm3 of ammonia in 1 cm3 of water at
room temperature)
Fertilisers
contain Nitrogen, Potassium and
Phosphorus.

 Nitrogen – Chlorophyll and proteins,

 Potassium – Growth, healthy fruit and

flowering,

Phosphorus – Healthy roots.

Use of Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphorus in

Fertilisers
 Ammonia and Nitrate salts
Fertilisers contain: Compounds in Fertilisers include:
• Ammonium ions, NH4+(Nitrogen source) • Ammonium nitrate, NH4NO3,
• Nitrate ions, NO3-, (Nitrogen source) Source of Nitrogen.
• Phosphate ions, PO43- , (Phosphorus source) • Ammonium phosphate, (NH4)3PO4,
• Potassium ions, K+. (Potassium source) Source of Nitrogen and Phosphorus.
These are water-soluble ions. • Potassium sulfate, K2SO4.
Ammonium salts and nitrates are used in fertilisers. Source of Potassium.

Air Quality and Climate
- Composition of Air,
- Uses of components of Air,
- Sources of Air pollutants,
- Effects of Air pollutants,
- Greenhouse gases,
10.3
- Global warming,
- Reducing effects of Air pollutants,
- Oxides of Nitrogen,
- Photosynthesis.
 Component %
Nitrogen 78
Oxygen 21
Argon 0.93
Carbon dioxide 0.04
Neon 0.002
Helium 0.0005
Krypton, Xenon and
Others

Composition of Air
In a sample of dry, clean air taken
The composition of the atmosphere is
from anywhere in the troposphere, affected by :
the composition by volume are o Respiration
o Photosynthesis
shown in the table. o Volcanic activity
o Radioactive decay,
o Human activity. (e.g., Burning Fossil
Fuels)
Components Uses
Nitrogen -
-
-
Refrigerant,
Food packaging,
Ammonia production,
Uses of
components of
- Silicon chip production.

Oxygen - Steel production,

- Wielding,
-
-
Breathing Apparatus,
Fuel cells. Air
Argon - Wielding,
- Tungsten light bulb,
- Between panes of double glaze units. Components of air are separated
Neon - Detection of radioactivity, using fractional distillation.
- Advertising signs,

Helium - Coolant,
- Fill Balloons,
- Helium-neon laser,
- Wielding. In order to separate the components of air, cooled to remove carbon
dioxide and water vapour as solids, then compressed and expanded
Krypton - Lasers for eye surgery, continually to liquify it at −200 °C and then separated by fractional
- Photographic light units. distillation into liquid oxygen, liquid nitrogen and others.
Sources of Air pollutants
• Carbon Dioxide – Complete combustion of
carbon containing fuels,
• Carbon Monoxide – combustion of carbon
containing fuels,
• Methane – Decomposition of vegetation
and waste gases from digestion in animals,
• Oxides of Nitrogen – Car engines,
• Sulphur Dioxide – Combustion of fossil
fuels containing Sulphur compounds.
Effects of Air pollutants
Photochemical Smog – Brown haze above areas
 Carbon Dioxide – Leads to global warming which
then causes climate change,
 Carbon Monoxide – Toxic gas, (combines with
hemoglobin in blood)
 Particulates - Respiratory problems and cancer,
 Methane – Global warming and climate change,
 Oxides of Nitrogen – Acid rain, photochemical smog
and respiratory problems,
 Sulphur Dioxide – Acid rain.
 The Carbon Cycle

Greenhouse gases
Sources of the greenhouse gases:
Carbon Dioxide:
- Complete combustion of Methane:
carbon-containing fuels, - Decomposition of
- Respiration, vegetation,
- Reactionbetween acid - Livestock farming,
and carbonate, - Production and Use of
- Thermal decomposition fossil fuels.
of carbonates.
Cause of Global warming:
The Sun emits energy in the form of radiation which
passes through the Earth’s atmosphere where some
thermal energy passes straight through and is reflected
Global warming
into space.
However, some thermal energy is absorbed by
Global warming is the increase in the
greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide and methane) and is
re-emitted in all directions trapping thermal energy in average global temperature causing
the atmosphere. climate change. This results in:
- Extinction of species,
- Sea levels rising,
- Increased risk of skin cancer. (This
happens due to the destruction of the
ozone layer allowing UV radiation
to pass through)
Global warming
Reducing the effects of Air pollutants
Climate Change: Acid Rain:
 Planting trees,  Use of catalytic converters in vehicles,
 Reduction in livestock farming,  Reducing emissions of sulfur dioxide by
using low-sulfur fuels and flue gas
 Decreasing use of fossil fuels,
desulfurisation with calcium oxide.
 Increasing use of hydrogen and renewable
energy such as solar or wind energy.
Oxides of Nitrogen
Formation: Catalytic Converter :
Oxides of nitrogen (NO and NO2) are formed
in high pressure and temperature conditions
when nitrogen and oxygen react, for example
combustion engines.
In exhaust gases unburned hydrocarbons and
carbon monoxide can also be found.
Cars are fitted with catalytic converters.
Catalytic Converters
Features:
 Contain transition metals which are used
as catalysts, such as platinum and rhodium,
 Honeycomb structure in the converter
allows the surface area for the reaction.
Reactions that take place:
 Carbon monoxide is oxidised:
2CO + O2 → 2CO2
 Oxides of Nitrogen are reduced:
2NO → N2 + O2
2NO2 → N2 + 2O2
 One simplified equation:
2NO + 2CO  N2 + 2CO2
 Unburned Hydrocarbons:
C8H18 + 12½ O2  8CO2 + 9H2O
 Equation for Photosynthesis:
Word Equation:
Photosynthesis Carbon dioxide + Water  Glucose + Oxygen

Symbol Equation:
Photosynthesis is an endothermic reaction
in which energy is transferred from 6CO2 + 6H2O  C6H12O6 + 6O2
surroundings to the chloroplasts
(containing chlorophyll) to make glucose
and oxygen from carbon dioxide and
water.