Questions to get you thinking - Not totally open ended but openish

Q1. NASA has recently announced that water has been discovered on Mars.

Using your knowledge of chemistry discuss how we might identify impurities and confirm the water safety for human consumption.

Q2. During the recent NASA mission to MARS two colourless liquids were found which have different boiling points.

Using your knowledge of chemistry comment on possible reasons for this difference.

Q3. The Gulf of Mexico oil slick was a major environmental disaster. During the cleaning up process a variety of techniques were employed. Using your knowledge of chemistry comment on the properties required for scientists to design a new chemical cleaning product. (More closed question).

Q4. Flora butter should be stored in a fridge, while the Flora oil can be stored in a cupboard.

Using your knowledge of chemistry comment on possible reasons for the different storage conditions.

Q5. Below are the ingredients for shop bought mayonnaise and home-made mayonnaise.Home-made Hellman’s (shop)canola oilegg yolkteaspoons fresh lemon juicewhite wine vinegarDijon mustardsalt

Soybean oilWaterEggsSaltSugarLemon juiceCalcium disodium EDTA(stabilizer)Natural flavours

Using your knowledge of chemistry comment on the similarities and differences between the two mayonnaise mixtures.

Q6. The labels have dropped off three bottles which were known to contain glycerol, castor oil, ethanoic acid.Use your knowledge of chemistry to comment on how we could identify these substances.

Q7.Sunscreens can be used to protect the skin from harmful UV rays from the sun. Skin care experts advise the use of water resistant sunscreens, some of the ingredients are shown below.

Meroterpene

Caprylic acid ( Coconut oil) Emulsifier

Use your knowledge of Chemistry to comment on the role of these ingredients.

Q8. Using your knowledge of chemistry choose an industrial process and comment on how this process is efficient, or could be made more efficient.

Q9. A student was given three unlabelled bottle which had been known to containPropan-1-ol, butanone and ethylpropanoate.Use your knowledge of Chemistry to comment on the procedures which could be used to identify each liquid. (more closed question/3 mark bonding question).

Q10 A reaction enthalpy can be determined in a variety of ways. Use your knowledge of Chemistry to comment on this statement.

Q11 A chemist makes a sample of XXXXXX. Using your knowledge of chemistry comment on how they can test its purity?

12Q Using your knowledge of chemistry, explain how a titration is carried out and can be used to solve problems.

Q13 Describe using your knowledge of chemistry the factors the chemical engineers would need to consider when building a plant to produce Z using the equation below

X+ Y Z ∆H = -

The Contact Process makes sulfur dioxide, sulfur dioxide is converted into sulfur trioxide (the reversible reaction at the heart of the process), then the sulfur trioxide converts into concentrated sulfuric acid.

Possible Responses to Questions

Q1. NASA has recently announced that water has been discovered on Mars.

Using your knowledge of chemistry discuss how we might identify impurities and confirm the water safety for human consumption.

Answer could includelinks topH/ filtration/ distillation/ evaporation/ density/ viscosity/ H-Bonding(bonding types) and freezing point/ chromatography/ TitrationCandidates may opt for depth of explanation rather than breadth.

Q2. During the recent NASA mission to MARS two colourless liquids were found which have different boiling points.

Using your knowledge of chemistry comment on possible reasons for this difference.

Answer could include formula mass/ types of bonding- linked to properties/ functional groups/ impurities/ pH/ chromatography/ boiling points/ charged particles.

Q3. The Gulf of Mexico oil slick was a major environmental disaster. During the cleaning up process a variety of techniques were employed. Using your knowledge of chemistry comment on the properties required for scientists to design a new chemical cleaning product. (More closed question).

Answer could include hydrophobic/ hydrophilic, structures of oil/ density of material/ Oxidation of oils/ emulsifiers/ solubility/ detergents

Q4. Flora butter should be stored in a fridge, while the Flora oil can be stored in a cupboard.

Using your knowledge of chemistry comment on possible reasons for the different storage conditions.

Answer could include oxidation of product/ structure of fats and oils/ hydrogenation/ preservatives/ oxidation/ antioxidants/ free radicals/ rates of reaction

Q5. Below are the ingredients for shop bought mayonnaise and home-made mayonnaise.

Home-made Hellman’s (shop)

canola oilegg yolkteaspoons fresh lemon juicewhite wine vinegarDijon mustardsalt

Soybean oilWaterEggsSaltSugarLemon juiceCalcium disodium EDTA(stabilizer)Natural flavours

Using your knowledge of chemistry comment on the similarities and differences between the two mayonnaise mixtures.

Structure of oils; emulsifiers; food flavourings; hydrogen bonding; polarity of molecules; solubility; proteins; essential amino acids

Q6. The labels have dropped off three bottles which were known to contain glycerol, castor oil, ethanoic acid.Use your knowledge of chemistry to comment on how we could identify these substances.Answer could include conductivity/ bonding types/ solubility/ polarity of molecules / pH/ Scent/

Q7.Sunscreens can be used to protect the skin from harmful UV rays from the sun. Skin care experts advise the use of water resistant sunscreens, some of the ingredients are shown below.

Meroterpene

Caprylic acid ( Coconut oil) Emulsifier

Use your knowledge of Chemistry to comment on the role of these ingredients.

Answer could include waterproofing/ UV protection/ Antioxidant/ Free radical scavengers/ hydrophilic etc

Q8. Using your knowledge of chemistry choose an industrial process and comment on how this process is efficient, or could be made more efficient. Answer could include-Haber process, Esterification, contact process, Ostwald process, hydrogentaion reaction.May include use of catalysts, atom economy, equilibrium, percentage yield, bond enthalpy, end/exothermic reaction, energy efficiency, potential energy diagram, kinetic energy diagrams.

Q9. A student was given three unlabelled bottle which had been known to containPropan-1-ol, butanone and ethylpropanoate.Use your knowledge of Chemistry to comment on the procedures which could be used to identify each liquid. (more closed question).Answer could include- structures/bonding types, functional groups, solubility, aroma, flammability, enthalpy of combustion, oxidation of alcohol, viscosity.