WATER

11. AIR AND

Topic

Puihication of_waten supply where the pro-

in reservoirs
The water from rivers is first stored
so the larger
cess of purification starts. The water is still,
and sun-
settle out. At the surface, oxygen
particles of dirt can
bacteria.
1ight break down other impurities and kill some

in two stages :
from the storage reservoirs is treated
The water

ELEatien.
It is f1ltered through beds of fine sands to remove suspended (insoluble)

solids.

2- Chlerinatien.
Then it is treated with chlorine to kill bacteria.

Pure wate can be obtained krom sea wate by distilation, but this
i s an expensive process.)

Uses o water
Household tap water is free from harmful bacteria and insoluble dirt,
but it is not pure in the chemist's sense because it contains gases
and salts in solution.

In_the home s
1- Drinking-
2- Washing
3- Cooking

n.LndustEX.
Industry uses water in many ways, e.g.
1 Much water is used for cooling. Power stations are built near
rivers or coasts so that they can have continuous
supplies of
water for the cooling towers;
As a solvent in many industries, e.g.
paper industry;
3 Manufacture of hydrogen and oxygen by electrolysis of water.

Electrolysis of water
Pure water is a very poor conductor of electricity. To enable water to
conduct electricity better, some dilute sulphuric acid is added.
Hydrogen gas is jormed at the cathode and oxygen gas is collected at
the anode.
omposition of air

Air
is a kture of gases

nitrogen 78%
(nearly 6)
oxygen 21%
Gjust over B)

-the remaining 1% is nearly all argon (a noble g

a little carbon dioxide and water
vapour
+smaller amounts of helium, neon, krypton
and xenon (the other noble
gases)

Sepanation ob oxygen and nituogen trom liquid air

Fractional distillation is used to the pure gases from
separate one
another.

1 Air is liquefied by compression.

2- The liquid air is allowed to boil.
3- The different components have
different boiling points, so they
can be collected in turn as
they boil off.

(1) nitrogen
(6.p.-196°C)
compress liquid allow to (2) argon
air warm up (b.p. -186'C)

(3) oxygen
(b.p. -183C)

he tompo sh1en f tha akmosph 's aletid by ha

tlowung aulös ( human aehviky volwinm buntn
c s piTatiun foss whath amd H20 vapou
Phatos y hunl
y valcaniu auh vy
(lio kadoahve dotay ohuh hutum mud
 Uses of oxygen :
Pure, 'medical grade' oxygen is used in oxygen tents in hospitals
for persons having difficulty in breathing normal1ly because of

1llness or unconsciousness.

2- In welding:
burns in oxygen to
Acetylene (which is an unsaturated hydrocarbon)
give a very hot flame "oxyacetylene flame"
welding torch

3- In making steel

Formation of carbon dioxide :

1 As a product of complete combustion of carbon-containing substances

CH +202 CO2 +,2 H,0

methane
(natural gas)
CHOH 30 2 CO0, 3 H,O

(ethanol)

Some huels, e.g. candle uwax, also phoduce a deposit oh carbon

600t). This proves.that the ain supply was insuhficient to
oxidize all the carbon in the hydrocanbon fuel to carbon dioride
Co,1.
There is another product o6 incomplete combus.tion which you canno*
see on smell. This is the poisonous gas carbon
monoxide [CO].
When petiol is buint in the cat engine, the exhaust
ome catbon monoxide, s ome gases contaÄn
unbunt hydnocarbons and some s00t
in addition to the harmless phoducts canbon dioxide and water.

2- As a
product of
respiration :
During breathing, some of the oxygen in the air is used up, and
CO,, water and heat energy are produced.
 Manufacture of ammonia by the Haber
Armmonia 1s made process
by &ynthesis, i.e.
combined together. nitrogen and
hydrogen are

Souaces.of.nitnogen.gnd_kudagggn
Pa. T6-C8O wb

.
Nitrogen is obtained from the air.
203

| 2. Hydrogen is now
obtained from methane
Methane is heated with
(natural 8as)
steam over a nickel
catalyst
750
CHg) H,og) Colg) 3 H,(g)
30 etm
The
following is the equation of formation of
elements, nitrogen and ammonia from its
hydrogen:
N (g) + 3 H (g)
2 2 NH, (g)
i. The
reaction is exothermic.
11. The reaction is reversible.

Conditions:
Lemperature: 450°C
pressure: 200 atmosphere
catalyst: iron

Ammonia is liquified by cooling. The unreacted gases are

recycled.

Uses of ammonia Habet rcey

i. Making fertilizers 2
20
04

ii. Making nitric acid ly.

1S.4
fi

.
 Ammonia in the Laboratory
whenever
which is formed
1. Ammonia is a colourless, choking gas,

is warmed with
an alkall.
an ammonium salt
For example
NH,(8)+ NaCI(aq) + H,O()
NH,CI()+NaOH(aq)- sodium water
ammonia
ammonium sodium
chloride
chloride hydroxide

damp red litmus paper

sodium hydroxide

ammonium-
chloride

wa

ammoniais formed,
2. Amnonia is very soluble in water and aqueous

which 1s a weak alkali. -these ions make the

solution alkaline
NHg)+ H,o(1) NH,OH(aq)
acids to make ammonium salts.
Since ammonia is an alkali, it will neutralise

Ammonia + nitric acid ammonium nitrate

NH+ HNO{aq) NHNOs(aq)

Fertilisers
which added to soil to promote plant growth.
1. Fertilisers are substances,
include nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and
2. The major plant nutrients
potassium (K). because plants use it to
3 . Nitrogen is the most importantofthe three elements
9270
make proteins.
Nitrogenous fertilizers:
16.8.24
Ammonium nitrate NHNO
Ammonium sulphate (NH)2S04
Ammonium phosphate (NH)SPO4
NPK
Urea coNHE FERTILIZER

contain phosphorous and

4. Many fertilisers nitrogen
compounds as well as
potassium
These mixed fertilizers
are
compounds.
called NPK'fertilisers.

Co (NH)
+ H
2 NH CO
 AIR POLLUTION

Apart from the gases normally found in air, other as

gase
sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, and carbon monoxide can de
sent. These gases can cause air
pollution and are called po

Common pollutants in the air

1. Carbon monoxide, CO
arbon monoxide is produced by the incomplete combustion of carbon

COntaining fuels. Much of carbon monoxide comes from the in-

complete combustion of petrol in car engines.

Carbon monoxideis poisonous gas that prevents haemoglobin än th

bAood nom absonbing oxygen. At a level o 18, carbon monoxude
will kill quickly; at Lower levels it causes headaches and dizz4
ness. Being colourkess and odounless, carbon monoxide gáves no

waring on its pnes ence.

2. Sulphur dioxide, S0,

Fossil fuels (coal and oil) always contain sulphur. When burned,
sulphur dioxide is forned. Factories and power stations burn coal,
which contains sulphur. They send sulphur dioxide into the air.

Sulphwr dioride causes bronchitis and lung diseases. In the upper

atmosphene, it neacts with water to b6onm acid rain.

3. Oxides of nitrogen:
when fuels are burned in the oxygen of the air, nitrogen is also

present. At high temperature, the result, some nitrogen combines

with oxygen.

Nitrogen +oxygen nitrogen monoxide

2 NOtg)
N (g) O, g)
Nitrogen monoxide+ oxygen >nitrogen dioxide
+O,(g) +2 NO,(g)
2 NO(g)
 in the a i r come frrom
nitrogen
oxides of
the
402 of oxide pollution are
are
About 30 of nitrogen
sources
Other
car exhausts.
factories and fires.

and toxic.
NO, is highly com0sive uater to 6orum
nitric acid
dissolve in
Oxides o6 nitrogen
Leading to acid nain.

from car exhausts

nitrogen
Catalytic
removal of oxides of in the exhaust of ars,
cars
fitted
convertors.
are now being
Catalytic presence of a catálvst
converted in the
are
where the toxic gases
dioxide and nitrogen.
into carbon

exhaust
from
of car
engine

catalytic
converter

carbon
Nitrogen carbon nitrogen +
monoxide monoxide dioxide

2 NO(g) 2 COlg) N, (g) +2 CO,tg)

Catalytic convertons nequired the use of unleaded petrol.

4. Lead compounds :
A lead compound çalled tetraethyl lead is added in small quántities
to petrol to increase the octane number of petrol. When the petrol
burns in the engine, lead compounds are released from car exhaust
Lead compounds ane newe
poisons. In particular, they can cauS
brain damage in young children.

The main way of

preventing pollution from compounds of lead 15
the use of lead-iree petrol (unleaded
petrol).
Acid Rain

. . ***

Waler vepour,
Sulphurlc
Sulphur Oxygen snd
acid and
dioxide sunllghl are
needed lo nilric
0 c l d are
convert Ihe
gases Inlo acids.
present in
lhe clouds.
** . . .

..

Acid

(Nitrogen
Oxides

Harmful effects ofacidrain to llve in.

lakes too acidic for fish
Acid rain (pll 4 ) makes
1. off
increases the ac1dity
and
minerals from the soil
2. It removes

the soil1. and

materials such as limes tone
truction
attacks cons
Acid rain
3.
cement
metals.
corrosion of
can speed up
4. Acid rain

in s o i l . Lime (Ca01 or
acidity
to
control
the
acidie soils .

1mportant used for n e u t r a l i z i n g

It 1s are
1ime [Ca (OH),]
slaked
soll
the acidity
of the aitos
Finding
the 604k
\i.e. brom diffexent
of
nepresentative sample
taken,
A is beaker and 8 t i m e d ,
6ield)
the 8 0 a An a
o6 to the
&anpte o6 ne addeod to the mixture
ftl ton is added waten)
in water) is added
sSutphate
ulphate
(insoluble
(insokubt
c l e a t the
liquid.
banium and t o
3.
3.
Some precipitation

wth the Universal Indicaton to 6ind

to help is tested
liquid
clea
The
4. the pll.