Chemistry Assignment:

Manufacture Substances in Industry

Introduction:
Many industrial products are manufactured for our comfort. They are either made from sulphuric
acid, ammonia, alloys, synthetic polymers, glass ceramics or composite materials.

Work on this project individually. Based on the following substance manufactured in industry, collect
information from books, magazines, encyclopedias or the internet. Compile all the data and
information into a folio.

Be creative in presenting your folio. You may include mind maps, tables, photographs, pictures ...
etc.

At the end of your presentation, please include the source of your information in the following
formats.
 Book
Author(s), Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, date of publication, page number(s)
if appropriate.

 Newspaper or magazine article

Author(s), “Title of article”. Titles of newspaper/magazine. Pages, Date of Pulication

 Website
Author(s). “title of article”, URL, date when the site was accessed.

This assignment is to be completed in two phases, first during school holidays in June (30/5/09 –
14/6/09) and second during school holidays in August (22/8/09 – 1/9/09).

First part of the assignment includes alloys, polymers, glass and ceramics and composite materials
while second part of the assignment includes sulphuric acid and ammonia.

Please hand in your first part of the assignment on 15 June 2009 and the final copy on 2 September
2009. Submission must be on time.

Guides:
1) Suphuric Acid
a) Suphuric acid is an important chemical used in daily life. Construct a mind map to explain
the uses of sulphuric acid our daily life.
b) Suphuric acid is manufactured by the Contact Process in industry. Build a flow chart to show
the steps in the production of suphuric acid by the Contact Process, starting from the raw
materials until you finally get the sulphuric acid. Include all the chemical equation in your
flowchart.
c) Sulphur dioxide is one of the by-products of the Contact process. It causes environment
pollution.
i) What are the main sources of sulphur dioxide? Explain your answer with a mind map.
ii) What are the effects of sulphur dioxide towards human health?
iii) Explain how acid rain is formed from sulphur dioxide. Include chemical equation where
applicable.
iv) What are the effects of acid rain? Explain your answers with a mind map.
2) Ammonia
a) Ammonia is an important chemical compound in industry. Construct a mind map on its uses.
b) List the properties of ammonia by using a mind map.
c) Ammonia is commercially produced by the Haber process. Using a flow chart to show the
stages in the manufacture of ammonia, starting with the raw materials. Include the relevant
equation in your flow chart.
d) One of the main uses of ammonia is to manufacture ammonium fertilisers.
i) Name three examples of ammonium fertilisers.
ii) How to measure the effectiveness of ammonium fertilisers? Explain your answer by
using some common ammonium fertilisers.
iii) Ammonium nitrate is one of the common fertilizers. Plan an activity that can be carried
out in the laboratory to prepare ammonium nitrate by using ammonia and nitric acid.

3) Alloys
a) Pure metals are ductile and malleable. Explain their ductile and malleable properties by
relating to their atoms arrangement.
b) What is the meaning of alloys?
c) What are the purposes of making alloys? Explain your answers with appropriate examples.
d) Explain why alloy is harder, stronger, less ductile and less malleable than its pure metals
by using suitable illustrations.
e) Plan an activity that can be carried out in the laboratory to compare the hardness of an alloy
and a pure metal.
f) Plan an activity that can be carried out in the laboratory to compare rate of rusting between
iron, steel and stainless steel.
g) Give at least six examples of alloys, its composition, properties and its uses.

4) Polymers
a) What is the meaning of polymers?
b) Polymers can be divided into two types: naturally occurring polymers and synthetic polymers.
i) List few examples of naturally occurring polymers.
ii) List at least six examples of synthetic polymer and its monomer. Explain the uses of
each synthetic polymer.
c) Synthetic polymers are widely used in our daily life. Explain properties of synthetic
polymers result in environmental pollution. Suggest methods to overcome these problems.

5) Glass & ceramics

a) What is the main component in glass and ceramic?
b) State the similarities and difference between glass and ceramic.
c) State at least four uses of glass. You may use mind maps and picture.
d) State at least five uses of ceramic. You may use mind maps and pictures.
e) There are few types of glass: fused glass, soda glass, borosilicate glass and lead glass.
Construct a mind map which illustrates the chemical composition, properties and uses of
four types of glass.

6) Composite materials
a) State what is meant by the term of composite materials.
b) Give five examples of composite materials and give the uses of each example.
c) Compare and contrast the properties of fibre glass with those of its original component.
d) What is the advantage of using photochromic glass in the making of spectacles? Briefly
explain the function of this glass.

Good Luck and Happy Holidays!

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