Chapter 23

Air and the Environment

Composition of Air
Why is Air a MIXTURE, not a COMPOUND ?
Its composition varies
 higher proportion of oxygen in air in forest than in
city
The components can be separated by physical
means
Air has properties of its components
 air supports combustion just like oxygen
 Showing composition of air
A known volume (e.g. 80 cm3) of air is passed over
heated copper. This removes the oxygen in the air as it
reacts with the copper forming copper(II) oxide, leaving
mainly nitrogen.
2Cu(s) + O2(g)  2CuO(s)

80

Observations :
The red-brown/pink copper turns black (CuO) The
volume of air in the syringe drops to about 63.5cm3.
Fractional distillation of liquid air
Air
Solid carbon dioxide cooling and compression
and ice removed to 150 atmospheres
by filtration
Liquid air
(-2000C)
fractional distillation

Nitrogen Argon Oxygen

b.p. -1960C b.p. -1860C b.p. -1830C
 Uses of oxygen

Making steel Oxygen-acetylene

[oxygen is blown onto flame (high temp)
cast iron to remove used for cutting
(oxidise) impurities & welding of
such as C, S, Si, P] metals

Oxygen tanks used Used in rockets and

by patients in hospitals; spacecraft for
deep-sea divers; combustion of
mountain-climbers hydrogen
Quick Check
The table shows the boiling points of some of the gases present
in air.
Gas Boiling point/oC
Argon -186
Helium -269
Neon -246
Nitrogen -196
Oxygen -183
When air is cooled to -200oC, some of these gases liquefy.
Which gases liquefy? (N2001)

(A) Argon, helium and neon

(B) Argon, nitrogen and oxygen
(C) Helium, neon and nitrogen
B
(D) Helium and neon
Air pollution
Polluted air is air that contains a high
concentration of certain chemicals that
may harm living things or to damage non-
living things.

The solid particles and poisonous gases in

the air, which cause air pollution, are
called the air pollutants
Common air pollutants

Particulates Gases
(solid particles • Carbon monoxide (CO)
suspended • Sulfur dioxide (SO2)
in the air) • Oxides of nitrogen (NO, NO2)
• Ozone (O3)
• Methane (CH4) etc.
• Unburnt hydrocarbons
 Source and effect of air pollutants –
carbon monoxide
Sources Harmful effects
From incomplete • Carbon monoxide reacts with
combustion of haemoglobin in the blood to form
carbon-containing stable carboxyhaemoglobin. This
fuels reduces the ability of blood to
e.g. petrol in car engines transport oxygen to the rest of the
body.
• Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas,
which causes headaches, fatigue,
breathing problems and even death.
 Source and effect of air pollutants – oxides
of nitrogen
Sources Harmful effects
• Lightning activity • Irritates the eyes and causing
heat released by lightning breathing difficulties by
causes N2 and O2 in the irritating the lungs.
air to react to form oxides
of nitrogen. • Formation of acid rain.
• Internal combustion
engines • Formation of photochemical
the high temperature in smog: NO2 in air reacts with
car engines causes N2 unburnt hydrocarbons in
and O2 in the air to react. presence of sunlight to produce
ozone and PAN (peroxyacyl
N2 + O2  2 NO nitrates)
2 NO + O2  2 NO2
 Source and effect of air pollutants –
sulfur dioxide
Sources Harmful effects
•From combustion • Irritates the eyes and causing
of sulfur-containing breathing difficulties by
fuels irritating the lungs.
(e.g. coal/natural gas in
power stations, petrol
in motor vehicles) • Formation of acid rain.
•From volcanic
eruptions
 Source and effect of air pollutants –
methane
Sources Harmful effects
From bacterial decay • In strong sunlight CH4 and other
of vegetable matter or unburnt hydrocarbons react with
animal dung or nitrogen dioxide from car exhaust
rubbish to form photochemical smog.

• A greenhouse gas (strong infrared

absorbers) and may contribute to
global warming.
 Source and effect of air pollutants –
unburnt hydrocarbon
Sources Harmful effects
From incomplete Formation of photochemical smog
combustion of petrol
in car engines
 Source and effect of air pollutants –
Ozone
Sources Harmful effects
Sunlight acts on other air • Irritates the eyes, nose and
pollutants such as throat and can cause asthma
nitrogen dioxide, carbon attacks
monoxide and
hydrocarbons to produce • Damages plant crops
a mixture called
photochemical smog.
Ozone is part of this
mixture.
Acid rain
Acid rain
Acid rain is any rainfall that has an acidity
level beyond what is expected in non-
polluted rainfall.
Acid rain is formed from two acidic air
pollutants: Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen
dioxide.
Formation of acid rain
(1) Sulfur dioxide in the air reacts with oxygen
and water to form sulfuric acid.
2SO2 (g) + O2 (g) + 2H2O (l)  2H2SO4 (aq)
Sulfuric acid dissolves in water, making it acidic.

(2) Nitrogen dioxide in the air reacts with

oxygen and water to form nitric acid.
4NO2 (g) + O2 (g) + 2H2O (l)  4HNO3 (aq)
Nitric acid dissolves in water, making it acidic.
Effects of acid rain
Acid rain reduces the pH value of natural
water bodies from 6.5 - 8.5 to below 4
which will kill fish and other aquatic life.
Acid rain corrodes metal structures and
damage limestone buildings.
Acid rain leech important nutrients from
the soil and destroy plants.
The ozone layer
A layer of ozone gas surrounds the earth
about 40km above the ground.
The ozone absorbs ultraviolet radiation
and acts as a shield to filter out some of
the harmful ultra-violet radiation from the
sun.
The state of ozone layer
 A decline in the amount of ozone in the ozone
layer is due to presence of chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs)
 CFCs are compounds of carbon, fluorine and
chlorine.
 CFCs are widely used as propellants in aerosol
cans and as coolant liquids in refrigerators and
air conditioners.
 CFCs are very stable and stay in the atmosphere
for a very long time. Over the years, CFCs react
with ozone and destroy the ozone layer.
 Depletion of ozone layer
 CFCs in the atmosphere are decomposed by sunlight to
produce chlorine atoms.
CF2Cl2  CF2Cl + Cl
 These chlorine atoms destroy the ozone layer by
reacting with ozone molecules.
Cl + O3  ClO + O2 (g)
 Chlorine oxide and atomic oxygen undergo further
reaction. (O atom is formed when the ultra-violet (UV)
rays split up another oxygen molecule)
ClO + O  Cl + O2
 Chlorine atoms are regenerated and start the reaction
again.
single
chlorine
atoms
Effect on Depletion of ozone layer
The depletion of ozone in the stratosphere
results in higher levels of ultraviolet
radiation reaching the Earth’s surface.
Greater exposure to ultraviolet radiation:
 increase in incidence ofskin cancers, genetic
mutation and eye damage (e.g. cataract).
 The radiation may also be harmful to plants
and marine life.
Solution to ozone depletion
Decrease the use of chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs)
In 1992, an international agreement was
reached for a complete ban on the release
of CFCs by 1996. Until now, most of the
countries in the world have completely
banned the use of CFCs. However, the
depletion of the ozone layer will continue
for many years due to the CFCs already
present in the atmosphere.
Using of Abbreviations (CFC and UV)
Use the full name of these two terms in your answers before
using the abbreviated version.

 Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC)
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) are compounds of… CFC can
deplete… 
CFC are compounds of... CFC can deplete…×
 Ultra-violet light (UV light)

Increase exposure to ultra-violet light can… 

Increase exposure to UV light can…. ×
Reducing air pollution
Use of Catalytic converters
To reduce pollutants from the internal
combustion engine. (CO, NOx, unburnt
hydrocarbons)
A catalytic converter is a device in the
exhaust system of a car that contains a
catalyst to convert pollutants (NO, CO) into
less harmful substances (N2, CO2, H2O).
 Catalytic converters
A device in the exhaust system of a car
that contains a catalyst to convert
pollutants in the exhaust gases to less
harmful substances.
The catalyst is a finely
divided alloy of platinum
and rhodium supported on
an inert ceramic pierced
with many fine tubes (to give
a very large surface area)
How catalytic convertor works
 Once the catalyst is hot enough (3000C ), it
converts the pollutants to steam, carbon dioxide
and nitrogen.
Process of converting pollutants to less
harmful substances:
 When the hot exhaust gases from the engine
pass over the catalyst, harmful pollutants (NO,
CO) gases are converted to less harmful
substances (N2, CO2, H2O).
2 NO + 2 CO  N2 + 2 CO2

 Unburnt hydrocarbon such as octane,C8H18, are

oxidised to form carbon dioxide and water.
2 C8H18 + 25 O2  16 CO2 + 18 H2O
Reducing air pollution
Flue gas desulfurisation (FGD) plant

The waste gases produced when fossil

fuels undergo combustion are called flue
gases.
Flue gases are made up of sulfur dioxide
and small amounts of nitrogen oxides
The process of removing sulfur dioxide
from flue gases is called desulfurisation.
Reducing air pollution
Flue gas desulfurisation (FGD) plant
(A) Limestone is added to remove sulfur dioxide in the flue
gases. Limestone is thermally decomposed to form calcium
oxide.
CaCO3(s)  CaO(s) + CO2 (g)

(B) Calcium oxide reacts with sulfur dioxide to form calcium

sulfite, CaSO3. This step will remove sulfur dioxide from the
flue gases.
CaO (s) + SO2 (g)  CaSO3 (s)

(C) Calcium sulfite is further oxidized to form calcium

sulfate.
2CaSO3 (s) + O2 (g)  2CaSO4 (s)
Flue Gas Desulfurisation
(FGD) Plant Mainly CO2
CaCO3 and air
and
water

Purification
chamber suspension
of CaCO3
SO2

CaCO3(aq) + SO2 (g) calcium sulfite chimney

CaSO3
 CaSO3 (s) + CO2 (g)
Carbon cycle
Carbon cycle
 The atmosphere contains about 0.03% by volume of
carbon dioxide.
 Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is continously being
removed and returned to the atmosphere by a variaty of
processes. The process that maintains the level of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is called the carbon
cycle.
 Rate of return of carbon dioxide to atmosphere must be
balanced by the rate of removal of atmospheric carbon
dioxide, if not, the composition of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere is upset.
 Three processes are involved in the carbon cycle:
photosynthesis, combustion and respiration
Carbon cycle – addition of CO2
 Addition of carbon dioxide from atmosphere via
combustion of fossil fuel, respiration and bacterial
decomposition of plants and animals remains:
(A) Combustion of fossil fuels
 Most fuels contain both carbon and hydrogen. When
these fuels are burnt, carbon dioxide and water are
produced.
CH4 (g) + 2O2 (g)  CO2 (g) + 2H2O (l)

(B) Respiration
 All living things respire. During this process, carbon and
hydrogen in foods are converted into carbon dioxide
and water.
C6H12O6 (s) + 6O2 (g)  6CO2 (g) + 6H2O (l)
Carbon cycle – addition of CO2
 (C)Decay/ bacterial decomposition of plants and
animals remains
Carbon cycle – removal of CO2
Removal of carbon dioxide from
atmosphere via photosysthesis:
In the presence of sunlight, chlorophyll in
the leaves converts carbon dioxide and
water into glucose and oxygen .
6CO2 + 6H2O  C6H12O6 + 6O2
Oceans serve as carbon sink to absorb
atmospheric carbon dioxide as it dissolves
in water.
Carbon cycle
 Exchange of carbon dioxide between
atmosphere & the oceans is important in
maintaining concentration of carbon dioxide in
the atmosphere at constant level
 Composition of atmosphere upset by
 Combustion of fossil fuels that power our
industrialised society  increase in carbon
dioxide + other greenhouse gases
 Deforestation
Global warming
 Carbon dioxide, water vapour, methane, nitrogen
dioxide, CFCs, ozone are greenhouse gases.
 These gases act like the glass pane of the
greenhouse, they allow the visible radiation
from the sun to reach the Earth’s surface but
trap some of the infrared radiation which is
emitted by the Earth.
 This produces a warming effect called the
greenhouse effect.
Global warming
 Natural greenhouse effect is crucial for sustaining
life as otherwise the Earth would be too cold.
 Concentrations of greenhouse gases have remained
relatively stable, but since the Industrial Revolution
(mid-1700s), a variety of human activities have
altered the balance.
 The resulting air pollution has thickened the wall of
the greenhouse, trapping more of the Sun's heat
and causing the planet to warm beyond what is
natural. This phenomenon is known as Global
Warming
Global warming - consequences
 Increase in global surface temperature will rise
sea levels caused by melting of glaciers and ice
caps.
 This will cause flooding of low lying countries
 Change in global climate:
 This will cause an increase in intensity and
frequency of droughts
 This will cause an increase in amount of rainfall
which leads to more floods
Global warming - consequences
 Higher temperatures & changing rainfall system
may destabilize eco-systems
 Decrease in crop yield world-wide because the
areas that are currently covered by vegetation
may become deserts.
 Rapid evaporation of water from the Earth’s
surface will cause the carbon dioxide dissolved
in the oceans to be driven out into the
atmosphere. This adds further to the
greenhouse effect.
Global warming – possible solutions
 Reducing amount of carbon dioxide in atmosphere
 Reducing use of fossil fuels by using alternative
energy sources eg. wind, tidal, hydroelectric
 International agreement … movement of
atmospheric carbon dioxide does not stop at
international borders
 the Kyoto Protocol: set the first binding limits on
emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping
gases (some 141 countries have agreed to cut their
greenhouse emissions. However, the world’s top
polluter – The United States – has not signed up to the
treaty.)