Monday, 24 December 2012
Wednesday, 19 December 2012
9.4.4 Feedback
PART 1 - THE ATMOSPHERE
1) 9.4.4.1.1 Describe the composition and layered structure of the atmosphere
(P) Be careful with your diagrams, the layers of the atmosphere get thicker (in km) as you head toward space – your diagrams don’t have to be to scale but they should reflect this. Also, make sure the ozone layer is IN the stratosphere, it does not take up the whole stratosphere.
2) 9.4.4.1.2 Identify the main pollutants found in the lower atmosphere and their sources
3) 9.4.4.1.3 Describe ozone as a molecule able to act both as an upper atmosphere UV radiation shield and a lower atmosphere pollutant
(Q) Always include the ● for free radicals (even O●)
(R) When discussing the dangers of UV, it is important to mention both its effect on plant photosynthesis and on animal cells (e.g. sunburn, DNA damage, skin cancer).
PART 2 – THE OZONE MOLECULE
4) 9.4.4.1.4 Describe the formation of a coordinate covalent bond
(B) Remember from yr 11 – All atoms ‘want’ to get a ‘full outer shell’ of electrons (ie a ‘noble gas configuration’). Non metals can obtain this stable full outer shell by gaining electrons or by sharing them with other non-metals (ie forming a covalent bond).
(C) Always draw ozone with its bent shape. It is an important structural feature. It is also important to draw all the electrons in their correct positions around each atom.
5) 9.4.4.1.5 Demonstrate the formation of coordinate covalent bonds using Lewis electron dot structures
(S) Be careful, a single covalent bond has a PAIR of electrons being shared (ie one from each atom). This means there are four shared electrons in an…
(X) Lewis dot diagrams need the square brackets [ ] around ions with the charge specified e.g. a sodium ion is [Na]+. For clarity it can help to draw the electrons for each atom with different symbols (eg x, o, ●) and it is advisable to label the coordinate covalent bond. See here for the correct way to illustrate the fomation of a polyatomic ion with a coordinate covalent bond).
6) 9.4.4.1.6 Compare the properties of the oxygen allotropes O2 and O3 and account for them on the basis of molecular structure and bonding
(D) It is vital to define all Chemistry terms properly. You need to know the correct (thorough) definition of allotrope.
(E) There is nothing wrong with putting the actual values for O2 and O3 desnity, solubility, mpt and bpt in your table but you DO NOT need to know these values – just that O3 has higher values than O2.
(F) O2 and O3 have a low mpt BECAUSE they are covalent molecular ie they HAVE have weak intermolecular bonds which require LITTLE energy to break allowing the molecules to separate. ALSO - because thye have low bpt they are gases - because they are gases they have low density.
(G) You need to explain the differences in mpt, bpt and water solubility for O2 and O3. Firstly, O3 is slightly polar (ie has dipole-dipole intermolecular bonding as well as weak dispersion) due to the uneven distribution of electrons in the molecule – thus it forms slightly stronger bonds with water molecules (a polar solvent, like dissolves like) and thus has higher solubility). This stronger intermolecular bonding, AND because it is a larger molecule requiring more energy to vibrate, means it takes more energy to separate the molecules giving it a higher mpt and bpt.
(H) The single covalent bond in ozone is easier (take less energy) to break than the O=O double bond. Thus O2 which only has the O=O double bond is less reactive then O3.
(T) It is vital to know the difference between intermolecular and intramolecular bonds. Clearly, these terms only apply to covalent molecular substances (the only substances that are ‘molecules’, not ‘lattices’) – so the strong intramolecular bonds are the covalent bonds between atoms and the intermolecular bonds are the weaker forces (bond) between molecules (eg hydrogen bonding… & …).
(Y) Oxygen free radicals don't have a measured bpt and mpt etc because to measure these values you need to have a number of them together - but as soon as you out these reactive molecules together they react to form O2 preventing the properties of O● being measured.
(Z) To compare the strucutre of O●, O2 and O3 you need to detail their # atoms, intermolecular bonds, types of intramolecular bonds (v. imp!) and draw a Lewis dot diagram. NB - sometimes you will see ozone drawn with two single bonds and a 'dotted arch'. The dotted arch is called a ‘resonance bond’ – we don’t worry about that in yr 12 HSC Chem – just draw it with the bent shape and with ONE double bond and ONE single coordinate covalent bond.
7) 9.4.4.1.7 Compare the properties of the gaseous forms of oxygen and the oxygen free radical
PART 3 – CHLOROFLUOROCARBONS & IMPACT
9) 9.4.4.1.8 Identify the origins of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and halons in the atmosphere
10) 9.4.4.1.10 Discuss the problems associated with the use of CFCs and assess the effectiveness of steps taken to alleviate these problems
(I) The ozone hole is a seasonal (Spring) event in the Antarctic where there is rapid depletion of O3, forming the ozone ‘hole'.** Ozone depletion refers to the general decrease is global O3 concentrations that have occurred over the last 40 years.
** NB when the ozone hole 'breaks up' in late Spring, severly ozone depleted air can spread north to Southern Australia.
** NB when the ozone hole 'breaks up' in late Spring, severly ozone depleted air can spread north to Southern Australia.
(J) The cold dark Antarctic winter results in ‘ice’ crystals forming in the stratosphere. These ice crystals catalyse the reaction between chlorine nitrate and hydrogen chloride to form hydrogen nitrate and chlorine gas. It is this chlorine gas that decomposes to produce the chlorine free radicals when the sunlight returns in spring (the large amount of Cl● results in rapid ozone depletion and the ozone hole)
(U) You must mention (along with your series of equations) that the Cl● CATALYSES ozone destruction (ie it takes part in the reaction, providing a reaction path with low activation energy and thus increasing the rate of reaction, but it is reformed and not consumed in the reaction)
11) 9.4.4.2.1 Present information from secondary sources to write the equations to show the reactions involving CFCs and ozone to demonstrate the removal of ozone from the atmosphere
12) 9.4.4.1.11 Analyse the information available that indicates changes in atmospheric ozone concentrations, describe the changes observed and explain how this information was obtained
(K) Dobson spectrometers monitor a wavelength that O3 does and a wavelength that O3 does not absorb – by comparing their relative intensities the concentration of O3 can be calculated. Similarly satellite systems monitor wavelength of light that ozone does and does not scatter to determine O3 concentrations. There is a nifty little video about this here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCAQR-4ue0U
(L) You need to know at least one advantages and one disadvantage of balloons, Dobson spectrometers and satellite-based spectrometers. Also: Nimbus, Aura and Suomi-NPP are satellites, TOMS, AURA and OMPS are the ozone monitoring instruments they carried (respectively). The one being used now is OMPS. If you talk about TOMS you sound outdated and will be penalised for not using reliable (ie current) resources). There is a nifty little video about this here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCAQR-4ue0U
13) 9.4.4.2.3 Present information from secondary sources to identify alternative chemicals used to replace CFCs and evaluate the effectiveness of their use as a replacement for CFCs
(M) When comparing CFC’s, HCFC’s and HFC’s:
a) Say what atoms they contain
b) Note that Cl is the halogen that damages ozone
c) NB that HCFC’s decompose in the troposphere (so little reaches the stratosphere) but NB they have some ODP (and define this the first time you use it) because thye still contain Cl
d) NB that HFC’s have no ODP because…
(N) When writing a criteria, be smart and be specific. Rather then saying that “One criteria to be examined is the ODP”. Say “To be a successful replacement, the chemical must have low to no ODP to overcome the problems produced by CFC’s” – after that, if you say that HFC’s have no ODP you have addressed the criteria and it is clear that HFC’s are a good option.
(O) When assessing the Montreal protocol, you should consider the fact that it has been followed worldwide, and that CFC’s use and productions rates have dropped and that Cl concentration in the atmosphere has started decreasing and that O3 concentrations are currently relatively steady.
(V) When you state that CFC’s continue to be released into the atmosphere despite the Montreal Protocol (and thus the recovery will be slow), you need to specify that this is from old disposed CFC’s containing equipment in landfill
14) EXTRA – you DO need to know ppm and ppb in the HSC course
(W) – Oops, the answer to (a) should be 0.2 GRAMS, and (d) should be 0.013 ppb (read the Q Dr Blurg!)
Sunday, 9 December 2012
Goodbye again. Goodbye for now, class of 2012
It was great to see the Chemists and Physicists of the class of 2012 again today.
As I said to those who I managed to speak to - I was made to feel so welcome and had such a great time teaching you this year – thank you for making the year so special.
BUT – I was startled by the revelation that “..I enjoyed your jokes and your sometimes inappropriate humour…”
Firstly - Thank you. (I was touched by this and the whole message).
Secondly - Woah! - I had gone to great lengths to walk on the right side of clean this year. I can’t think of anything that wasn’t …However, if this is what was being referred to:
But on that topic of inappropriate humour, I have recently decided that Bill Burr is one of the funniest comedians I have heard in a long time. The audio track to this video (YouTube link to 'Bill Burr : Let It Go' removed due to inappropriate humour) is great for a car trip (though make sure everyone in the car is over 18 and not easily offended) – and no, there is no way I would post the actual video to the Blurg.
What made me laugh the most was the bit between 7:35 and 7:55 (this is how I felt trying to field some of your questions this year - but I'm not complaining - you have helped me become a better teacher/chemist/physicist).
Best wishes, please keep in touch – I’d love to hear what
you are studying and where your career path takes you.
Merry Christmas,
Dr Blurg
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