Learning Guide Module

Subject Code Chem 3 Reactions and Interactions of Organic and Inorganic Compounds
Module Code 2.0 Organic Reactions I
Lesson Code 2.14 Application: Environment in Focus
Time Limit 30 minutes

Components Tasks TAa ATAb

Target By the end of this module, the student should be able to:
1. Recall the chemical reactions involved in complete and
incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons. 0.5
2. Describe the other reactions associated with the combustion min
of hydrocarbons.
3. Explain the consequences of the incomplete combustion of
hydrocarbon compounds and oxides of nitrogen.
4. Explain how certain gases contribute to greenhouse effect.
Hook The use of fossil fuels has been a controversial issue for the past
many years because of its environmental consequences (Nunez,
2019). Poor air quality, global warming and climate change have 0.5
been attributed to the excessive burning of fossil fuels. In this min
module, we will explore some of the reasons why the burning of
fossil is detrimental to our environment and our health.

Ignite In a previous module, we already discussed combustion

reactions. We know that the products of a complete combustion
are carbon dioxide and water. When the combustion is
incomplete, carbon monoxide or soot is also produced.

Carbon monoxide is an environmental concern because it causes

carbon monoxide poisoning. In the blood, carbon monoxide binds
more strongly to the heme of hemoglobin as compared to oxygen.
This causes carbon monoxide to displace the oxygen in
hemoglobin and form carboxyhemoglobin. This leads to possible
tissue damage or death since less oxygen will be transported to the 10
different parts of the body. Medical evidence also suggests that mins.
continuous exposure to low levels of CO may cause nervous
disorders and may be a factor in the incidence of heart disease
(Wilbur S, 2012).

But we actually burn fossil fuel in air, not in pure oxygen. We

also know that air is composed of 78% nitrogen. Thus, at high
temperatures, nitrogen can also react with oxygen to produce
nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2):

Chemistry 3 Application: Environment in Focus │ 1 of 7

 N2(g) + O2(g) → 2NO(g)

2NO(g) + O2(g) → 2NO2(g)

Collectively, NO and NO2 are known as the nitrogen oxides

(NOx).

Nitric oxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and relatively non-

toxic gas. The problem arises because it can be converted to NO 2.

Nitrogen dioxide is a yellowish-brown gas that has a pungent,

irritating odor. It is extremely corrosive especially in wet
environments because it can react with water to produce nitrous
acid, HNO2:

2NO2(g) + H2O(l) → HNO3(aq) + HNO2(aq),

The substances in the atmosphere can then catalyse the reaction

between nitrous acid and oxygen causing the formation of nitric
acid:

2HNO2(aq) + O2(g) → 2HNO3(aq).

The acidic solution then falls back to the earth as acid rain,
affecting the pH of soils and surface water bodies, like lakes and
streams. The decrease in pH destroys flora and fauna.

Nitrogen dioxide can also absorb ultraviolet light (<398 nm) and
undergo photolytic dissociation to form a reactive, isolated
(atomic) oxygen:

NO2(g) + h → O(g) +NO(g) (Andrews, 2004, p. 50).

The isolated oxygen can react with oxygen gas to form ground-
level or tropospheric ozone: O(g) + O2(g) → O3(g). Tropospheric
ozone can further react with NO to produce even more NO2, and
the cycle repeats itself.

Chemistry 3 Application: Environment in Focus │ 2 of 7

 Breathing ground-level ozone induces respiratory irritation,
causing coughing, throat irritation, and bronchial restriction
(Manahan, 2013, p. 206). It increases the risk of death due to
respiratory problems. Ozone also causes the hardening and
cracking of exposed natural rubber and damages the leaves of
plants.

According to Andrews (2004), ozone is the single pollutant that

most clearly characterizes photochemical smog.

Photochemical smog is a condition that usually occurs under

situations in which a confined mass of air is subjected to intense
sunlight (Manahan, 2013, p. 202). It is commonly seen over urban
areas with a heavy build-up of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) coming from automotive exhausts and
petroleum fuel vapors respectively. Volatile organic compounds
include the hydrocarbons that remain unburnt due to inefficient
internal combustion engines; they also include the polyaromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs) like benzene, which are known
carcinogens. But unlike benzene which has one aromatic ring,
PAHs have at least 2 condensed aromatic rings.

Aside from the formation of ground level ozone, the dissociation

of NO2 by sunlight also triggers photochemical reactions with
different VOCs (especially alkenes) to produce a variety of toxic
substances like formaldehyde and peroxyacetylnitrate, (PAN),
which are both eye irritants (Andrews, 2004, p. 51). All the
products of a photochemical smog are called gross
photochemical oxidants due to their ability to oxidize I- to I2.

Figure 1 shows how all these processes contribute to the formation

of photochemical smog.

Chemistry 3 Application: Environment in Focus │ 3 of 7

 Figure 1 General Scheme for the Formation of Photochemical Smog (Abdul
Raheem, 2011)

Carbon dioxide, which is the major product produced by the

combustion of fossil fuels is also a known greenhouse gas.

A greenhouse gas absorbs a portion of the infrared radiation

leaving the Earth’s surface to help maintain a livable, uniform
temperature (Brown, 2015, p. 789) on the planet. This
phenomenon is called the greenhouse effect.

Carbon dioxide plays only second to water vapor in its

contribution to the greenhouse effect. However, the excessive use
of fossil fuels in the past decades has increased the amounts of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, leading to an enhanced
greenhouse effect (Figure 2). Scientists have attributed the
observed increase in the average global air temperature over the
past century to carbon dioxide and consequently, blame it for
climate change (Brown, 2015, p. 290) and sea-level rise.

Chemistry 3 Application: Environment in Focus │ 4 of 7

 Figure 2 Natural and Enhanced Greenhouse Effect ( (Center for Sustainable
Systems, 2019)

Navigate GRADED FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT:

Back in the 1950s and ’60s, Los Angeles had the dirtiest air in the
world due to photochemical smog. It was only in 1975, when
catalytic converters were required to be installed in automobiles
did the air quality start to improve.

15
1. Do some research. What is a three-way catalytic converter? mins.
How does it help decrease the detrimental effects of the burning
of hydrocarbons in fossil fuels? What catalyzes the conversion of
the harmful gases? (5 points)

2. Given the following generalized plot of atmospheric

concentrations of species involved in smog formation as a
function of time of the day (Abdul Raheem, 2011):

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 Explain the changes observed in the concentration of NO, NO2
hydrocarbons, aldehydes and oxidants as time goes by. Why do
these gases concentrations peak at certain times of the day? (5
points)

Write your answers on one short (8.5”x11”) page, font size 11

Calibri, 1 inch margins all sides, single space. Cite your
references using APA format. Submit your paper via KHub or
email to your teacher.

Knot The combustion of hydrocarbons in fossil fuel form products that

are attributed to some environmental issues. These are
summarized in Table 1.

Table 1. Environmental Impacts of the Combustion of

Hydrocarbons

Combustion Product Environmental Issue/s

4
CO Carbon monoxide poisoning
mins.
NOx (NO and NO2) Formation of acid rain;
Formation of toxic ground
level or tropospheric ozone;
Involved in the formation of
photochemical smog

unburnt hydrocarbons Involved in the formation of

photochemical smog;

Chemistry 3 Application: Environment in Focus │ 6 of 7

 Formation of other toxic
gross photochemical
oxidants

CO2 Enhanced greenhouse effect

leading to climate change
and sea-level rise
a
suggested time allocation set by the teacher
b
actual time spent by the student (for information purposes only)

References:

Abdul Raheem, M. F. (2011, September). Air Pollution: A Case Study of Ilorin and Lagos Outdoor Air.
Retrieved from ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Generalized-Scheme-For-
The-Formation-Of-Photochemical-Smog_fig2_221916779/download
Andrews, J. B. (2004). An Introduction to Environmental Chemistry, Second Edition. United Kingdom:
Blackwell Publishing.
Brown, T. L. (2015). Chemistry, The Central Science, 13th Edition. New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc.
Center for Sustainable Systems. (2019). Climate Change: Science and Impacts Fact Sheet. Retrieved
from University of Michigan: http://css.umich.edu/factsheets/climate-change-science-and-
impacts-factsheet
Manahan, S. (2013). Fundamentals of Environmental and Toxicological Chemistry, Fourth Edition.
Boca Raton: CRC Press.
Nunez, C. (2019, April 2). Fossil Fuels Explained. Retrieved from National Geographic:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/energy/reference/fossil-fuels/
Wilbur S, W. M. (2012). Toxicological Profile for Carbon Monoxide. Atlanta: Agency for Toxic
Substances and Disease Registry (US). Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK153687/

Prepared by: Mara Milagros D. Esguerra Reviewed by: Brenda A. Pelagio

Position: Special Science Teacher II Position: Special Science Teacher III
Campus: PSHS-Main Campus Campus: PSHS-CLC

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