Core Chemistry - C1

Topic 1 - The Earth’s sea and atmosphere.

  1. How were gases introduced to the Earth’s atmosphere?
  2. How do the gases in the early atmosphere compare to the gases in the atmosphere today?
  3. How were oceans formed?
  4. Why is it difficult for us to be certain about the development of the atmosphere?
  5. What causes the levels of carbon dioxide to change? (BOTH increase/decrease)

Topic 2 - Materials from the Earth.

  1. How are sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks formed? Give egs of each.
  2. What are the benefits and drawbacks of quarrying for limestone?
  3. What can calcium carbonate be used for?
  4. What is thermal decomposition? Link to calcium carbonate.
  5. How does thermal decomposition vary with different metal carbonates?
  6. What is conservation of mass in a chemical reaction?
  7. What happens when you react water with calcium oxide>
  8. How would you make limewater?
  9. Why would you use calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide or calcium carbonate on acidic soil?
  10. How can calcium carbonate be used in coal-fired power stations?

Topic 3 - Acids

  1. Why do you have hydrochloric acid in your stomach? How do indigestion remedies work?
  2. Name three examples of bases.
  3. Name the type of salts made by sulphuric acid, nitric acid and hydrochloric acid.
  4. What is electrolysis? How can this be used to separate hydrochloric acid or water?
  5. What are the tests for hydrogen, chlorine, carbon dioxide, oxygen?
  6. How could you make chlorine? Why is chlorine dangerous? What are some uses of chlorine?

Topic 4 – Obtaining and using metals

  1. How are metals found and how are metal ores extracted (electrolysis and reduction)?
  2. How does the method of extraction vary between different metals?
  3. What is meant by the terms “oxidation” and “reduction”?
  4. What is meant by the term “corrosion”?
  5. What are the advantages of recycling metals?
  6. What are the uses (linking them to the properties) of Aluminium, Copper, Gold and steel.
  7. What are alloys and why are they better than the metals on their own?
  8. Why would you want to alloy iron? (Use specific examples)
  9. What are smart alloys? How is a gold alloy better than the metal on it’s own?
  10. What is a use for nitinol?

Topic 5 - Fuels

  1. What are hydrocarbons?
  2. What is crude oil?
  3. What is fractional distillation and how does it separate crude oil?
  4. Name the fractions and uses produced from fractional distillation of crude oil.
  5. How do the physical properties vary up the F. column (BP, volatility, viscosity, size)?
  6. What happens when hydrocarbons are completely combusted?
  7. What is an equation for incomplete combustion?
  8. Why is carbon monoxide dangerous?
  9. Explain how acid rain is formed.
  10. What is the greenhouse effect and what contributes to it?
  11. What methods have scientists invented to decrease carbon dioxide levels?
  12. What are biofuels? How is ethanol made? Compare biofuels to fossil fuels.
  13. What makes a good fuel?
  14. What are the pros and cons of using hydrogen as a fuel in cars?
  15. What is the difference between alkanes and alkenes?
  16. How could you use bromine water to distinguish between an alkane and an alkene?
  17. What is cracking? Describe how you would carry out this process in the lab?
  18. Explain why we need to crack alkanes.
  19. How do you make polymers?
  20. Draw the monomers to make; poly(ethene), poly(propene), poly(chloroethene) and PTFE.
  21. Link the uses of the polymers above to the properties of the polymers.
  22. How do you get rid of polymers? How can you overcome the problems of disposal?