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Chemistry Stage 6
Chemistry Stage 6
9
9.1
During the HSC course it is expected that students will further develop skills in planning and
conducting investigations, communicating information and understanding, scientific thinking and
problem-solving and working individually and in teams. Each module specifies content through
which skill outcomes can be achieved. Teachers should develop activities based on that content to
provide students with opportunities to develop the full range of skills.
HSC Course Outcomes
Content
A student:
Students:
Content
Content
TheHSCcoursebuildsonthePreliminarycourseandfurtherincreasesthe
studentsskillsinworkingindividuallyandinteams.Refertothecontent
overviewonpage14.
9.2
Production of Materials
Contextual Outline
Humans have always exploited their natural environment for all their needs including food, clothing
and shelter. As the cultural development of humans continued, they looked for a greater variety of
materials to cater for their needs.
The twentieth century saw an explosion in both the use of traditional materials and in the research for
development of a wider range of materials to satisfy technological developments. Added to this was a
reduction in availability of the traditional resources to supply the increasing world population.
Chemists and chemical engineers continue to play a pivotal role in the search for new sources of
traditional materials such as those from the petrochemical industry. As the fossil organic reserves
dwindle, new sources of the organic chemicals presently used have to be found. In addition, chemists
are continually searching for compounds to be used in the design and production of new materials to
replace those that have been deemed no longer satisfactory for needs.
This module increases students understanding of the implications of chemistry for society and the
environment and the current issues, research and developments in chemistry.
11
Students:
vinyl chloride
styrene
by both their systematic and
common names
13
2. Some scientists
research the
extraction of
materials from
biomass to reduce
our dependence on
fossil fuels
Students:
15
3. Other resources,
such as ethanol,
are readily
available from
renewable
resources such as
plants
Students:
17
4. Oxidationreduction reactions
are increasingly
important as a
source of energy
Students:
19
5. Nuclear chemistry
provides a range of
materials
Students:
21
9.3
Contextual Outline
Acidic and basic environments exist everywhere. The human body has a slightly acidic skin surface
to assist in disease control and digestion occurs in both acidic and basic environments to assist the
breakdown of the biopolymers constituting food. Indeed, microorganisms found in the digestive
system are well adapted to acidic or basic environments.
Many industries use acidic and basic compounds for a wide range of purposes and these compounds
are found in daily use within the home. Because of this, an awareness of the properties of acids and
bases is important for safe handling of materials. Currently, concerns exist about the increased
release of acidic and basic substances into the environment and the impact of these substances on the
environment and the organisms within those environments.
This module increases students understanding of the history, nature and practice of chemistry, the
applications and uses of chemistry and implications of chemistry for society and the environment.
1. Indicators were
identified with the
observation that
the colour of some
flowers depends on
soil composition
Students:
23
2. While we usually
think of the air
around us as
neutral, the
atmosphere
naturally contains
acidic oxides of
carbon, nitrogen
and sulfur. The
concentrations of
these acidic oxides
have been
increasing since
the Industrial
Revolution
Students:
25
3. Acids occur in
many foods, drinks
and even within
our stomachs
Students:
27
4. Because of the
prevalence and
importance of
acids, they have
been used and
studied for
hundreds of years.
Over time, the
definitions of acid
and base have been
refined
Students:
29
5. Esterification is a
naturally
occurring process
which can be
performed in the
laboratory
Students:
31
9.4
Contextual Outline
The state of our environment is an important issue for society. Pollution of air, land and water in
urban, rural and wilderness areas is a phenomenon that affects the health and survival of all
organisms, including humans. An understanding of the chemical processes involved in interactions in
the full range of global environments, including atmosphere and hydrosphere, is indispensable to an
understanding of how environments behave and change. It is also vital in understanding how
technologies, which in part are the result of chemical research, have affected environments. This
module encourages discussion of how chemists can assist in reversing or minimising the
environmental problems caused by technology and the human demand for products and services.
Some modern technologies can facilitate the gathering of information about the occurrence of
chemicals both those occurring in natural environments and those that are released as a result of
human technological activity. Such technologies include systems that have been developed to
quantify and compare amounts of substances.
This module increases students understanding of the nature, practice, applications and uses of
chemistry and the implications of chemistry for society and the environment.
Students:
33
2. Chemical
processes in
industry require
monitoring and
management to
maximise
production
Students:
35
3. Manufactured
products, including
food, drugs and
household
chemicals, are
analysed to
determine or
ensure their
chemical
composition
Students:
perform first-hand
investigations to carry out a
range of tests, including flame
tests, to identify the following
ions:
phosphate
sulfate
carbonate
chloride
barium
calcium
lead
copper
iron
analyse
information to evaluate the
reliability of the results of the
above investigation and to
propose solutions to problems
encountered in the procedure
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4. Human activity
has caused changes
in the composition
and the structure
of the atmosphere.
Chemists monitor
these changes so
that further
damage can be
limited
Students:
39
5. Human activity
also impacts on
waterways.
Chemical
monitoring and
management
assists in providing
safe water for
human use and to
protect the
habitats of other
organisms
Students:
perform first-hand
investigations to use qualitative
and quantitative tests to analyse
and compare the quality of
water samples
gather,
process and present information
on the features of the local town
water supply in terms of:
catchment area
possible sources of
contamination in this
catchment
chemical tests available to
determine levels and types
of contaminants
physical and chemical
processes used to purify
water
chemical additives in the
water and the reasons for
the presence of these
additives
41
9.5
Contextual Outline
Industry uses chemical reactions to produce chemicals for use by society. This module develops the
ideas that some chemicals have been produced to replace naturally occurring chemicals that are no
longer available or are not economically viable. The concepts of qualitative and quantitative
equilibrium are further developed.
Industrial chemical processes cover the full range of reactions but concentration on some case studies
is sufficient to illustrate the range of reactions and the role of chemists and chemical engineers
involved in these processes. This allows some insight into the qualitative and quantitative aspects of
the chemical industry and allows a consideration of the analytical processes and monitoring that are
necessary for efficient production.
This module increases students understanding of the history, applications and uses of chemistry, and
current issues, research and developments in chemistry.
Students learn to:
Students:
1. Industrial
chemistry
processes have
enabled scientists
to develop
replacements for
natural products
2. Many industrial
processes involve
manipulation of
equilibrium
reactions
43
Students:
45
4. The industrial
production of
sodium hydroxide
requires the use of
electrolysis
5. Saponification is
an important
organic industrial
process
Students:
47
Students:
49