Chemistry A J634 (i)

CHEMISTRY A, J634

Module	Topics	Soil-Net links
Module C1	Air Quality
	Which chemicals make up air, and which ones are pollutants? How do I make sense of data about air pollution?	The global cycles Oxygen cycle Carbon cycle Nitrogen cycle Acid rain
C1.1.1	recall that the Earth is surrounded by an atmosphere made up mainly of nitrogen, oxygen and argon, plus small amounts of water vapour, carbon dioxide, and other gases;	The global cycles Oxygen cycle Carbon cycle Nitrogen cycle Soil and climate change
C1.1.2	recall that the relative proportions of gases in the atmosphere are about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% argon;	The global cycles Oxygen cycle Carbon cycle Nitrogen cycle
C1.1.3	recall that human activity adds small amounts of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide to the atmosphere;	The global cycles Oxygen cycle Carbon cycle Nitrogen cycle Soil and climate change
C1.1.4	recall that human activity also adds extra carbon dioxide and small particles of solids (e.g. carbon) to the atmosphere;	Carbon cycle Soil and climate change The climate change threat Climate change - future concern
C1.1.5	recall that some of these substances, called pollutants, are directly harmful to humans and some are harmful to the environment and so cause harm to humans indirectly;	Nitrogen cycle Carbon cycle Soil and our health Acid rain Soils and pollution
C1.2	What chemical reactions produce air pollutants? What happens to these pollutants in the atmosphere?	Soils and acid rain Soil threats from climate change Soils and pollution
C1.2.1	recall that coal is mainly carbon;	The carbon cycle
C1.2.2	recall that petrol, diesel fuel and fuel oil are mainly compounds of hydrogen and carbon (hydrocarbons);	Soil pollution threats Soils and climate change
C1.2.3	recall that, when fuels burn, atoms of carbon and/or hydrogen from the fuel combine with atoms of oxygen from the air to produce carbon dioxide and/or water (hydrogen oxide);	The global cycles Carbon cycle Nitrogen cycle Oxygen cycle Soils and climate change
C1.2.9	understand how sulphur dioxide is produced if the fuel contains any sulfur;	Soils and acid rain
C1.2.10	understand how burning fossil fuels in power stations and for transport pollutes the atmosphere with: carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and particulate carbon (from incomplete burning), nitrogen oxides (from the reaction between atmospheric nitrogen and oxygen at the high temperatures inside engines);	The global cycles Oxygen cycle Carbon cycle Nitrogen cycle The threat of climate change Soil and climate change Concerns about climate change
C1.2.13	understand that atmospheric pollutants cannot just disappear, they have to go somewhere: particulate carbon is deposited on surfaces, making them dirty; sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide react with water and oxygen to produce acid rain; carbon dioxide is used by plants in photosynthesis; carbon dioxide dissolves in rain water and in sea water.	The global cycles Oxygen cycle Carbon cycle Nitrogen cycle The threat of climate change Soil and climate change Concerns about climate change Soils and acid rain
C1.4	What choices can we make personally, locally, nationally or globally to improve air quality?	Concerns about climate change Soils and acid rain
C1.4.1	understand how atmospheric pollution caused by power stations which burn fossil fuels can be reduced by: using less electricity; removing sulfur from natural gas and fuel oil; removing sulfur dioxide and particulates (carbon and ash) from the flue gases emitted by coal-burning power stations;	Soils and climate change
C1.4.3	understand how atmospheric pollution caused by exhaust emissions from motor vehicles can be reduced by: burning less fuel by having more efficient engines; using low sulfur fuels; using catalytic converters, which convert nitrogen monoxide to nitrogen and oxygen and carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide; adjusting the balance between public and private transport; having legal limits to emissions (which are enforced by the use of MOT tests);	The threat of climate change Soil and climate change Concerns about climate change Soils and acid rain
Module C2	Material Choices
C2.4	When buying a product, what else should we consider besides its cost and how well is does its job? How should we manage the wastes that arise from our use of materials?	Soil and waste disposal
C2.4.1	recall the key features of a life cycle assessment (LCA) including: the main requirements for energy input; the environmental impact and sustainability of making the material from natural resources; the environmental impact of making the product from the material; the environmental impact of using the product; the environmental impact of disposing of the product by incineration, landfill or recycling;	Soil and fertilisers Soil and pollutants Soil and waste disposal
Module C 3	Food Matters	Food production
C3.1	What is the difference between intensive and organic farming?	Food production
C3.1.2	recall that cellulose, starch and sugars are carbohydrates which consist of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen;	Soils and plants
C3.1.4	understand that there is continual cycling of elements through consumption of living organisms and decay;	Soil, the living being Soils and plants Carbon cycle Nitrogen cycle Soils and biodiversity
C3.1.5	describe the main stages of the nitrogen cycle	Nitrogen cycle
C3.1.6	understand that where crops are harvested, elements such as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, are lost from the soil so that the land becomes less fertile unless these elements are replaced;	Soil, the living being Soils and food production Nutrient cycle Acidification Soils and fertilisers
C3.1.7	recall and explain the methods used by organic and intensive farmers to maintain the fertility of soils used to grow crops;	Soils and plants Soils and food production Soils and fertilisers
C3.1.8	understand that yields from crops my be reduced by pests and disease;	Soil, the living being
C3.1.11	when provided with information about the methods used in farming: can explain the idea of sustainable development, and apply it to specific situations;	Soils and food production
Module C3.3	How can we make sure that our food does not contain chemicals that may be harmful to health?	Soils and food production
C3.3.3	understand that chemicals used in farming such as pesticides and herbicides may remain in the products we eat;	Soils and food production Soils and fertilisers

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