Answers to revision questions
Module 3 Chapters 1113 (page 154)
1 located in close proximity to the source of the raw
materials required
near to a cheap supply of energy
in an area where there is an availability of skilled
workers
in close proximity to transportation links, e.g. a railway
(See Section 11.1 for additional factors.)
2 a Gibbsite Al2O33H2O and Boehmite Al2O3H2O
b i Iron(iii) oxide Fe2O3
ii Concentrated sodium hydroxide is added to the
bauxite, being basic the iron(iii) oxide does not
react with it and so can be filtered off.
c Al2O32SiO2 + NaOH Na2SiO3 + Al2O3
Na2SiO3(aq) + NaAlO2(aq) Na2OAl2O32SiO2(s)
d To dissolve the aluminium oxide and reduce its melting
point
e Cathode: Al3+(l) + 3e Al(l)
Anode: 2O2(l) O2(g) + 4e
f The oxygen produced there reacts with the carbon
anode producing oxides of carbon.
g The extraction of aluminium requires vast amounts of
energy. These countries do not have a cheap supply of
energy and thus the process would be economically
unfeasible.
3 a The quarries produce large amounts of dust and fumes.
The sodium hydroxide present in the waste product
sludge can drain into soil and then enter waterways.
Considerable amounts of the greenhouse gas carbon
dioxide are produced during the electrolytic process.
(See Section 11.3 for additional effects of the
aluminium industry on the environment.)
b i low density, good conductor of electricity
ii malleable, corrosion-resistant
iii malleable, good thermal conductor, corrosion-
resistant
iv high reflectivity
4 a i Fractional distillation
ii The lighter fractions in the crude oil are more
volatile, that is they have lower boiling points than
the heavier fractions which are less volatile (have
higher boiling points). The lighter fractions thus
move further up the fractionating column where
the temperature is lower and when the
temperature is just lower than the boiling points
they will condense and can be collected. The
heavier fractions are collected lower down in the
fractionating column where the temperatures are
higher.
b Gasoline fuel for cars
Naphtha plastics
Lubricating oil waxes
Bitumen road surfaces
(For additional fractions and their uses refer to Section
12.1.)
5 a i The thermal decomposition of alkanes
Thermal cracking and catalytic cracking
ii There is a greater demand for the smaller more
useful fractions of petroleum than can be supplied
from the fractional distillation of petroleum by the
companies. They thus break down the larger
fractions by cracking to supply the demand for
these smaller more useful fractions.
b i C12H26 C10H22 + C2H4
ii Ethene
6 a Reforming is the process by which alkanes are
converted to cycloalkanes and cycloalkanes are
converted to arenes.
b Reforming produces hydrocarbons which are of a
higher grade.
7 Oil spillages can kill marine life including seabirds.
Incomplete combustion of petroleum products can
produce toxic carbon monoxide.
Lead compounds from tetraethyl lead can cause damage to
the nervous system.
(For additional effects of the petroleum industry on the
environment see Section 12.2.)
8 a N2(g) + 3H2(g) 2NH3(g)
b i By reacting methane with steam in the presence of
a nickel catalyst:
heat + Ni
CH4(g) + H2O(g) CO(g) + 3H2(g)
ii From the fractional distillation of air.
c i Temperature: 450C
Pressure: 200atm
Iron or iron oxide catalyst with a potassium
hydroxide promoter
ii High pressure and low temperature
iii An increase in pressure shifts the equilibrium to the
side with the fewer molecules of gas, that is to the
right. As a result of this the product is favoured.
A lower temperature shifts the equilibrium to the
exothermic side of the reaction, that is to the right.
As a result of this the product is favoured.
iv If the pressure is too high more energy will be needed
to power the compressor which will increase the cost
of production and also the reaction vessels would
not be able to withstand such high pressures, also
increasing the cost of production if reaction vessels
of very high strength have to be used.
If the temperature is too low, the rate of
production of ammonia is going to be very slow
making the process economically unfeasible.
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Answers to revision questions
9 a To make fertilisers
To make household cleaners
As a refrigerant
To make dyes
(For additional uses see Section 13.2.)
b This is the process by which excess quantities of
fertilisers pollute rivers and lakes and cause an
overgrowth of algae and bacteria leading to the death
of aquatic organisms.
Rainwater dissolves the fertilisers and the solution runs
off (leaches) from fields into rivers and lakes. Algae in
the water use these nutrients and grow very fast
causing an algal bloom covering the surface of the
water. The dense growth of algae blocks sunlight from
reaching plants below the water surface. These plants
die from lack of sunlight. The algae also die when the
nutrients are used up. Bacteria feed on the dead plants
and algae and multiply rapidly. The bacteria use up the
oxygen dissolved in the water. Without oxygen, fish
and other water animals die.
10 a C6H12O6(aq) 2C2H5OH(aq) + 2CO2(g)
b Zymase
c The enzyme, zymase, being a protein will be denatured.
d Must be aqueous and done in the absence of oxygen.
e Fractional distillation
f Alcoholic beverages
Solvent
Fuel
c Asbestos fibres are released into the air when it dries
out. These fibres can lead to the lung condition known
as asbestosis.
d i Sodium hydroxide
Leakage of sodium hydroxide which is a strong base
into waterways from the diaphragm cell can
produce pH levels that are high enough to kill
aquatic organisms.
ii The ozone layer
Chlorofluorocarbons are able to destroy the ozone
layer in the upper atmosphere.
iii Polyvinyl chloride
Polyvinyl chloride is a plastic produced from
chlorine. It is not biodegradable and contributes to
the buildup of solid waste in the environment.
iv Dioxins
Dioxins are byproducts of the paper industry
produced when chlorine is used as a bleaching
agent. Dioxins are toxic.
14 Stage 1: The formation of sulphur dioxide
S(l) + O2(g) SO2(g)
Stage 2: The formation of sulphur trioxide
2SO2(g) + O2(g) 2SO3(g)
Stage 3: The formation of oleum and then sulphuric acid
SO3(g) + H2SO4(l) H2S2O7(l)
H2S2O7(l) + H2O(l) 2H2SO4(l)

11 a Ethanol is classified as a drug because it acts on the
central nervous system/it is a depressant.
b Impaired judgment
Vomiting
Slurred speech
c Liver cancer
Foetal alcohol syndrome
d Social consequence loss of life due to motor vehicle
accidents caused by drunken drivers.
Economic consequence loss of man hours at the
workplace.
12 Anode: 2Cl(aq) Cl2(g) + 2e
Cathode: 2H+(aq) + 2e H2(g)
13 a Because it produces both chlorine and sodium
hydroxide.
b To make bleaches, which often contain sodium
chlorate(i) (sodium hypochlorite).
To make vinyl chloride, the monomer for the plastic,
polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
To make anaesthetics.
To make solvents such as trichloroethane.
(For additional uses see Section 13.6.)
15 a High pressure and low temperature
b High pressure would cause the position of equilibrium
to shift to the right, which is the side with the fewer
molecules, thus favouring production of the sulphur
trioxide.
A lower temperature shifts the equilibrium to the
exothermic side of the reaction, which is to the right.
As a result of this the product is favoured.
c Temperature: 450C
Atmospheric pressure
Catalyst: Vanadium(v) oxide (V2O5)
16 a Food preservation
Bleaching agent for paper
b To make fertilisers
As an electrolyte in car batteries
To make detergents
To make dyes and paints
(For additional uses of sulphuric acid see Section 13.8.)
c The sulphur oxides produced in the process can result
in the formation of acid rain.
If sulphuric acid leaks into waterways it will lower the
pH and cause the death of aquatic organisms.