CHAPTER 5

The Air Around Us

5.1 What is air made of
State what is air made of Explain why air is mixture State the everage percentage of nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide Carries out activities that shows: 1. The percentage of oxygen 2. That air contains water vapour, microorganisms and dust
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All living things need air to live.We can fast for a day or two without taking any food or water, but how long can we live without air? Take a deep breath and hold it as long as you can. Then exhale onto your palm. Can you feel the air coming out from your nostrils? We cannot see the air but we know it is there. Earth is surrounded by 30 kilometres of air: a mixture of several different gases mixed together in different proportions. Unfortunately the air around us is becoming polluted by the day. Can we live in polluted air? What must we do to keep the air clean to save ourselves and the rest of the world?

What Is The Composition Of Air ?

Air is a mixture of different gases. The pie chart shows the composition of air by percentage. What is the average percentage of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide and inert gases in the air? Why is the word average used in the earlier question?

Oxygen 21% Nitrogen 78%

Carbon dioxide 0.03%

Inert gases <1%

Air as Mixtures
As a mixture, the composition of air varies from place to place and time to time. Air also contains varying amounts of water vapour. It can vary from practically zero in the hot deserts to about 5% in the tropical forests.

Air over busy cities often contains toxic gases such as sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide. Air over industrial areas may even contain traces of hydrogen and methane in addition to the other components of the air.

Microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses are also present in the air. Do you know that we often catch common cold because of the microorganisms in the air?

Why do we often detect the strong smell of disinfectants in hospitals?

Chlorofluorocarbons, dust, grit, smoke, and compounds of lead are some of the tiny solid particles that are contained in the air. These particles often pollute the air. What particle or particles in the air cause haze?
Haze causes serious health problems. People with asthma have died from breathing in hazy air. What must we do to prevent the air from being hazy?

Ozone is a compound made up of three oxygen atoms chemically combined together. It forms a layer high up in the Earths atmosphere. This layer protects the Earth from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the Sun.

O3

Notes
Air is a mixture of gases consisting of : Nitrogen Oxygen Inert gases Carbon dioxide Dust, microogranisms and water vapour 78% 21% <1% 0.03%

Toxic gases, microorganisms, dust, smoke, grit, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), compounds of lead and ozone are also present in our air.

CHAPTER 5

The Air Around Us

5.2 Properties of Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide

List the properties of oxygen and carbon dioxide Identify oxygen and carbon dioxide based on their properties Choose suitable test for oxygen and carbon dioxide

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Properties of Oxygen
is a colourless and odourless gas at room temperature.
is soluble in water. is very active as it readily combines chemically with many substances to form new substances. supports combustion as burning will not occur without oxygen.

is needed for respiration by living things.

is produced by green plants during photosynthesis.

Properties of Carbon Dioxide

is a colourless and odourless gas at room temperature.

is slightly more soluble in water than oxygen.

Does not burn nor support combustion.

Is needed by plant to make food during photosynthesis

is produced when living things respire, when carbon or carbon compounds such as hydrocarbons and carbonates are burnt and when carbohydrates such as sugars and starch are fermented. Dissolves in water to form weak acids

Properties Solubility in water

Oxygen
Slightly soluble Not soluble The splinter ignites Oxygen supports burning The splinter burns brighter Oxygen supports burning

Carbon dioxide
Slightly soluble Very soluble The splinter goes out Carbon dioxide does not support burning The splinter goes out Carbon dioxide does not supports burning Blue litmus paper : Changes to red Red litmus paper : No Change of colour Carbon dioxide is an acidic gas Lime water turns cloudy Changes the colour of bicarbonate indicator from red to yellow

Solubility in sodium hydroxide solution

Effect on glowing splinter Effect on burning wooden splinter

Effect on moist blue litmus paper or moist red litmus paper

Oxygen has no effect on blue litmus paper or red litmus paper Oxygen is a neutral gas

Effect on lime water Effect on bicarbonate indicator

No change No change

CHAPTER 5

The Air Around Us

5.3 Oxygen is needed in respiration
State that energy, CO2 and water vapor are the products of respiration Relate that living things use oxygen and give out , CO2 during respiration Compare and contrast the content of oxygen in inhaled and exhaled air in humans State that oxygen is needed for respiration Carry out experiment to show that living things use O2 and give out CO2 during respiration
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Respiration

The process where our body obtains energy from food is called respiration.

Respiration takes place in our body

Energy Oxygen Water Vapour

Food (Sugar)

Carbon dioxide

Composition Of Inhaled & Exhaled AIr

Breath In
Oxygen (O2) INHALE

Breath Out
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) EXHALE

Composition
Oxygen Carbon Dioxide Water Vapour Nitrogen

Inhaled Air
High (21%) Low (0.03%) Less No changes

Exhaled Air
Low (16%) High (4%) More No changes

CHAPTER 5

The Air Around Us

5.4 Oxygen is needed for combustion
State what combustion is State that oxygen is needed for combustion List the products of combustion Carry out experiments to investigate combustion

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Combustion ?
Combustion is an oxidation reaction between a substance and oxygen to give out

oxide (or oxides) and energy.

If the combustion is accompanied by flames, the process is called burning. Thus burning is a rapid combustion reaction between a substance and oxygen giving out

light and heat.

When carbon (an element) burns in oxygen, an oxide is formed. Charcoal, an example carbon, burns in excess dioxide oxygen to produce Carbon + of oxygen carbon carbon dioxide gas.

Condition for combustion ?

The presence of OXYGEN The Presence of fuel

Enough amount of Heat is present

Combustion will not take place if any of these condition is not present

Combustion of carbon Carbon + oxygen

Combustion Heat energy

+
Light energy

+
Carbon Dioxide

Combustion of hydrocarbon
Hydrocarbon + oxygen
Combustion Heat energy

+
Light energy

+
Carbon Dioxide

+
Water

CHAPTER 5

The Air Around Us

5.5 Air Pollution
Explain what is air pollution List examples of air pollutants List the sources of air pollutants Describe the effects of air pollution Explain the steps needed to prevent and control air pollution

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We say that there is air pollution when there is a SUBSTANCE THAT ARE HARMFUL to our health and can cause damage to our environment are found in the air POLLUTANTS
DUST CO2 SULPHUR DIOXIDE SMOKE PESTICIDES

CARBON MONOXIDE

NITROGEN OXIDE

The sources of air pollutants include motor vehicles, factories, power plants, open burning and misuse of pesticides

Air Pollutants
Gases (Carbon dioxide) and smoke Carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide Haze Chlorofluorocarbon

Source of Pollutants
Motor vehicles and factories Motor vehicles Open burning Aerosol spray, electronics factories

EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION TO OUR HEALTH

Air Pollutant
Asbestos particles
Gases from motor vehicles Carbon monoxide

Effect
Lung cancer
Liver failure and cancer Headaches, brain damage or death Bronchitis, pneumonia, lung cancer

Sulphur dioxide Chlorofluorocarbon

Acid rain: damages plants and make iron rust faster Causes damage to the ozone layer. Too much exposure to UV rays can cause, skin cancer, eye diseases and the break-down of the bodys immune system Causes green house effect Will result global warming, changes in climate, rising sea levels/ flooding

Carbon dioxide

CHAPTER 5

The Air Around Us

5.6 The Importance of Keeping the Air Clean
Describe how life would be without clean air Suggest ways to keep the air clean Practice habits that keep the air clean

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Steps to prevent air pollution

Limit the use of CFC in industry
Encourage the use of biodiesel in cars Factories of chimneys are built to a certain height Avoid open burning Encourage the use of solar energy Relocate factories away from urban areas Minimise smoking habit

SMK Perempuan Likas Sabah