Unit 3 2017 Area of Study 1 What are the options for energy production?

(Information from VCAA is in normal font , extra information I have added will be in italics.
D.B is an abbreviation for Data booklet)

Energy is found in different forms and with the correct equipment it can be changed from one form to any other. The
different forms studied are : chemical, thermal (heat), kinetic (movement), electrical, light. Every time energy is
transferred from one form to another some of the energy is inevitably lost as heat, so the less steps in a process the
less energy lost.

Information from VCAA

In this area of study students focus on analysing and comparing a range of energy resources and technologies,
including fossil fuels, biofuels, galvanic cells and fuel cells, with reference to the energy transformations and chemical
reactions involved, energy efficiencies, environmental impacts and potential applications.

Students use the specific heat capacity of water and thermochemical equations to determine the enthalpy changes and
quantities of reactants and products involved in the combustion reactions of a range of renewable and non-renewable
fuels.

Students conduct practical investigations involving redox reactions, including the design, construction and
testing of galvanic cells, and account for differences between experimental findings and predictions made by using
the electrochemical series.

They compare the design features, operating principles and uses of galvanic cells and
fuel cells, and summarise cell processes by writing balanced equations for half and overall cell processes.

Outcome 1
On completion of this unit the student should be able to compare fuels quantitatively with reference to combustion
products and energy outputs, apply knowledge of the electrochemical series to design, construct and test galvanic
cells, and evaluate energy resources based on energy efficiency, renewability and environmental impact.

Key knowledge

FUELS as a source of energy CHEMICAL Energy → HEAT energy

 the definition of a fuel, including the distinction between fossil fuels and biofuels with reference to origin
and renewability (ability of a resource to be replaced by natural processes within a relatively short period of
time.

 combustion of fuels as exothermic reactions with reference to the use of the joule as the SI unit of energy,
energy transformations and their efficiencies and measurement of enthalpy change including symbol (ΔH)
and common units (kJ mol-1, kJ g-1, MJ/tonne)
Find ∆H from the D.B for the molar enthalpy of combustion of different fuels.

*** The following information will be assess in the next Area of Study Ch 9 Electrolysis.
It will not be assessed now.
-Energy profile diagrams, shape of exothermic diagram, Activation energy, ∆H= E(products)-E(reactants)

 the writing of balanced thermochemical equations, including states, for the complete and incomplete (CO or
C produced instead of CO2) combustion of hydrocarbons, methanol and ethanol, (remember the extra
oxygen) using experimental data and data tables

Eg Combustion of butane
2 C4H10 (g) + 13 O2 (g) → 8 CO2 (g) + 10 H2O ΔH = - 5568kJmol-1
(2 x 2784 from Data Booklet because 2 mol of butane in equation.)
  calculations related to the combustion of fuels including use of mass-mass, mass-volume and volume-volume
stoichiometry in calculations of enthalpy change (excluding solution stoichiometry) to determine heat energy
released, reactant and product amounts and net volume of greenhouse gases at a given temperature and
pressure (or net mass) released per MJ of energy obtained

1. Use Thermochemical reaction ΔH to find the energy released for any mole amount of reactant

Ratio : Energy (E of a reaction in the lab) = ΔH (E of Balanced reaction) kJ

Moles (of lab reaction.) Moles (of Balanced reaction) mol

2. Scale up the Energy of a reaction (E) to find the(ΔH) of a Balanced Thermochemical reaction

Ratio : ΔH (E of Balanced reaction) = ΔH (E of a reaction in the lab) J

Moles (of Balanced reaction) Moles (of specific lab reaction.) mol

Note: Energy obtained from the lab result will be in J, at some point it must be converted to kJ.

Thermochemical reaction: ΔH must be written eg ΔH = - 2,300_kJmol -1

(note neg)

 the definition of gas pressure including units, the universal gas equation and standard laboratory conditions
(SLC) at 25 °C and 100 kPa

Stoichiometry. Gases eg Combustion reactions fuels, O2, CO2 ,H2O

PV = nRT n=V
Vm Vm = 24.8 L at S.L.C of 25oC
Pressure = kPa V = Litres R=8.31 T = Kelvin 100 kPa
(K = oC + 273)

 the use of specific heat capacity of water to determine the approximate amount of heat energy released in
the combustion of a fuel.
q = c x Mass of water x Δ Temp (Final- Initial)

o
Joules = J x g x C *Note units cancel to leave joules
g oC

Fuel choices
 the comparison of fossil fuels (coal, crude oil, petroleum gas, coal seam gas) and biofuels (biogas,
bioethanol, biodiesel) with reference to energy content, renewability and environmental impacts related to
sourcing and combustion

 the comparison of the suitability of petrodiesel and biodiesel as transport fuels with reference to sources,
chemical structures, combustion products, flow along fuel lines (implications of hygroscopic properties and
impact of outside temperature on viscosity) and the environmental impacts associated with their extraction
and production.
GALVANIC CELLS as a source of energy CHEMICAL Energy → ELECTRICAL
energy. “An O.I.L R.I.G Cat”

 redox reactions with reference to electron transfer, reduction and oxidation reactions, reducing and
oxidising agents, and use of oxidation numbers to identify conjugate reducing and oxidising agents

 the writing of balanced half-equations for oxidation and reduction reactions and balanced ionic equations,
including states, for overall redox reactions

 galvanic cells as primary cells and as portable or fixed chemical energy storage devices that can produce
electricity (details of specific cells not required) including common design features (anode, cathode,
electrolytes (salt bridge) and separation of half-cells) and chemical processes (electron and ion flows, half-
equations and overall equations)

 the comparison of the energy transformations occurring in spontaneous exothermic redox reactions
involving direct contact between reactants (transformation of chemical energy to heat energy) compared
with those occurring when the reactants are separated in galvanic cells (transformation of chemical energy
to electrical energy)

 the use of the electrochemical series in designing and constructing galvanic cells and as a tool for predicting
the products of redox reactions (rate of reactions not predicted),, deducing overall equations from redox
half-equations and determining maximum cell voltage under standard conditions (1 atm, 250C, 1 M).

(reaction is always between the strongest oxidising agent and strongest reducing agent)
- Be able to organise an electrochemical series from experiment
- Writing half equations given a whole equation and one half equation.
*** The following information is technically in the next Area of Study Ch 9 Electrolysis.
But it won’t be assessed this year during the SAC but will be mentioned in lessons.

The chemical principles, (discharging and recharging (higher voltage)

* difference between spontaneous (Galvanic) and non spontaneous (Electrolytic)reactions.
For batteries this is the difference between discharging and recharging
* anode and cathode polarities for discharging and recharging and half equations and overall
equations which change for these spontaneous and non- spontaneous reactions.

FUEL CELLS as a source of energy Chemical Energy → Electrical Energy

 the common design features of fuel cells including use of porous electrodes(increase surface area,they are
also made of expensive platinum which acts as a catalyst to speed up the rate of reaction )) for gaseous
reactants to increase cell efficiency (less energy lost as heat) (details of specific cells not required)

 the comparison of the use of fuel cells and combustion of fuels to supply energy with reference to their
energy efficiencies (qualitative), safety, fuel supply (including the storage of hydrogen), production of
greenhouse gases and applications (advantages and disadvantages)

 the comparison of fuel cells and galvanic cells with reference to their definitions, functions, design features,
energy transformations, energy efficiencies (qualitative) and applications