CHAPTER 7 AIR

The Composition 成分 of Air

1. The Earth 地球 is surrounded 包围 by a thick 厚 layer 层 of air known as the atmosphere 大气层.
2. Air is a mixture 混 合 of several types of gases and other substances such as dust 灰 尘 and
microorganisms 微生物.
3. Air is one of our important resources 资源. It is colourless 无色, tasteless 无味 and odourless 无臭.
4. We can feel 感觉 the air when it moves 流动 as wind 风.
5. Air is matter 物质 as it has mass 质量 and occupies 占有 space 空间.
6. The components 成分 of air can be shown in the following table and diagram.
Air component Percentage 巴仙
Nitrogen 氮气 78%
Oxygen 氧气 21%
Carbon dioxide 二氧化碳 0.03%
Inert 惰性 gases and other substances 0.97%
Water vapour 水蒸气 Varies 变化
Dust and microorganisms Varies
The components of air
7 The composition 成分 of air changes 变化 from one place to another. For example, the air in a forest 森林
has more oxygen compared to the air in a city.城市

Air is a Mixture 混合物

Air is a mixture because
(a) air can be produced by mixing its constituents 成分 without involving any chemical reactions.化学反应
(b) the components in air can be separated 分 开 easily by physical methods 物 理 方 法 , for example, by
fractional distillation 分馏 because the various components in air have different boiling points.沸点
(c) air has properties 特性 that are the same as the properties of its constituent gases. When separated each
gas still retains 保持 its own properties.
(d) the percentage composition of each constituent gas in air is not fixed 不固定 but varies from place to
place.

Activity 1 To show the percentage of oxygen in air

Apparatus and materials

• Gas jar 罐子 • Candle 蜡烛
• Rubber bands 橡皮筋 • Gas jar stand
• Water • Glass trough 水槽

Procedure
1. Pour 倒 water into a glass trough and place
a gas jar stand in the middle 中间 of the glass
trough.
2. Place an inverted 倒转 gas jar on top of the
gas jar stand and mark 记号 the level of the
water in the gas jar with a rubber band.

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3. Divide the height of the gas jar above the 4. Place a lighted 点燃 candle on the gas jar stand.
first rubber band into five equal parts by four 5. Place the inverted gas jar on the gas jar stand over
other rubber bands. the lighted candle.

Observation
1. The lighted candle will extinguish 熄灭.
2. The level of the water in the gas jar rises 升 to the level of the second rubber band from the bottom.

Conclusion
1. The water enters the gas jar to replace 替代 the oxygen used up 用尽 by the burning 燃烧的 candle.
2. About one-fifth 五分之二 or 20% of the volume of air is oxygen.

Importance 重要性 of Gases in Our Daily Life 日常生活

Gas Usage 用处

Oxygen Breathing 呼吸, rocket fuel 火箭燃料, welding 焊接, preparation of compounds

Carbon dioxide Photosynthesis 光合作用, production of carbonated drinks 汽水, fire extinguisher,灭
火器 carbon cycle 碳循环
Nitrogen Nitrogen cycle, liquid nitrogen 液氨 is used as a cooling agent 冷却剂, production of
ammonium fertiliser 铵肥
Inert gases Helium 氦 is used for filling air balloons 气球 and weather 天气 balloons. Neon 氖 gas
惰性气体 is used in advertising lights 广告灯. Argon gas 氩气 is used for filling light bulbs 电灯
泡

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 The Carbon Cycle 碳循环 and Oxygen Cycle 氧循环
The oxygen cycle and carbon cycle maintain 保持 the composition 成分 of oxygen and carbon dioxide in
the atmosphere.

Carbon cycle
1 Photosynthesis 光合作用: Carbon dioxide in the air is converted into 转换成 glucose by plants during
photosynthesis. Animals feed on 吃 plants and obtain 获取 carbon from the plants.
2 Decomposition 分解/Decaying: Decomposers 分解者 release 释放 carbon dioxide when they decompose
dead 死亡的 plants and animals. Carbon compounds from dead organisms are converted into fossil fuels 化
石燃料 like petroleum 石油, natural gas 天然气 and coal.煤炭
3 Burning 燃烧: The burning of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
4 Respiration 呼吸作用: During respiration, plants and animals use up 用 oxygen and release carbon
dioxide into the atmosphere.

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1. The oxygen cycle is a process of taking in 摄取 and releasing 释放 oxygen into the atmosphere
continuously.持续地
2. In Diagram 7.2, we can see how oxygen is used and released by plants and animals.
3. Plants are the primary 主要的 producers 生产者 of oxygen on the earth. Plants use sunlight and carbon
dioxide to produce carbohydrates 碳水化合物 and release oxygen into the atmosphere through the process
of photosynthesis.光合作用
4. Oxygen in the atmosphere is absorbed 吸收 by animals and plants for the process of respiration.呼吸作用
5. Apart from 除了 photosynthesis and respiration, oxygen is also needed for the processes of rusting 生锈.
combustion 燃烧 and decomposition.分解

Ways 方法 to Prevent 防止 Disruption 干扰 in the Oxygen and Carbon Cycles

1 Activities that can interrupt 干扰 the oxygen and carbon cycle:
(a) Industrialisation 工业化 - the release of smoke 烟 from factories 工厂
(b) Deforestation 砍伐森林- uncontrolled 无节制的 logging 伐木
(c) Exhaust smoke 排烟- as a result of combustion of fossil fuels in motor vehicles 车辆
(d) Uncontrolled usage of insecticides 杀虫剂 in agriculture 农业
2. All these activities increase carbon dioxide gas content 含量 and disrupt the oxygen and carbon cycles.
The increase in carbon dioxide cause the greenhouse effect 温室效应 and global warming.全球暖化
3 Ways to prevent disruption in the oxygen and carbon cycles on the Earth:
(a) Avoid 避免 excessive usage 过度使用 of insecticides
(b) Stop illegal 非法的 logging 伐木
(c) Avoid burning of forest 燃烧森林
(d) Carry out 进行 properly-planned 适当计划 logging
(e) Prevent excessive release of exhaust fume 排烟 from vehicles
(f) Replanting 再种植 trees to balance 平衡 the content of oxygen and carbon dioxide gases.

Combustion 燃烧
1 Combustion is the burning of fuel in the presence of oxygen to produce light 光 and heat.热
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2 Combustion can only occur 发生 when oxygen, fuel and heat are present.出现、存在
3 Combustion cannot occur if any of the conditions 条件 for burning is not fulfilled 不具备.
4 The burning of a candle 蜡烛 is an example of combustion.
5 Examples of highly flammable 高度易燃 substances include:
(a) Organic substances 有机物质 like alcohol 酒精 and ether.醚
(b) Substances with high carbon content, examples: Wood 木 and coal.煤炭
(c) Hydrocarbons 碳氢化合物 or compounds that are made up of carbon and hydrogen. Examples:
Petrol 汽油, diesel 柴油, oil 油, kerosene 煤油, candle and butane. 丁烷

a) Fuel 燃料 Observation：
The flame 火焰 goes out 熄灭 when the
matchstick is completely burnt.

Conclusion.
Fuel is needed in combustion.

Match 火柴 is allowed to stay lighted until the stick 棒 is

completely burnt 完全燃烧
(b) Oxygen Observation
The candle flame goes out after a while.过
了一阵子

Conclusion：
Oxygen is needed 需要 in combustion.
A lighted candle is covered 覆盖 with an overturned 倾覆
glass bottle.

(c) Heat Observation：

The candle flame goes out when the water
touches it.

Conclusion：
Heat is needed for combustion.
Water is poured into 倒入 the beaker slowly until the lighted
点燃的 candle is completely submerged.沉入

Experiment To show that oxygen is needed for combustion

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Problem statement
What gas is needed for combustion?

Hypothesis
Oxygen is needed for combustion.

Variables
1. Controlled variable： The initial volume
of air in the gas jar
2. Manipulated variable： Burning of candle 5. Place the inverted gas jar over the lighted candle
3. Responding variable： Volume of air left carefully. Observe the water level in the gas jar.
in the gas jar 6. Mark the final water level in the gas jar when the
candle extinguishes.熄灭
Apparatus and materials
Candle, plasticine 橡 皮 泥 , gas jar, glass
trough 玻璃槽, gas jar stand, cork 软木 Observation
The water level rises and fills one-fifth 五分之一 of the
Procedure gas jar after the burning candle is extinguished.熄灭
1. Fill a glass trough with water.
2. Place an inverted gas jar on the gas jar Explanation
stand in the trough. Mark the water level in Since 由于 one-fifth of the air in the gas jar supports 支
the gas jar. 持 the burning of the candle, we can conclude 结论 that
3. Divide the air column in the gas jar into oxygen is used.
five equal parts.
4. Remove the gas jar from the trough and Conclusion
light a candle. Place the candle on the gas jar Oxygen is needed for combustion. The hypothesis is
stand. accepted.

Fire Extinguishers 灭火器

1 The types of fire extinguishers suitable for the different sources of fire are summarised in Table 7.1
Table 7.1 Types of fire extinguishers and different sources of fire
Source of fire Type of fire extinguishers

Solid 固体 (wood, paper) Water, dry powder 干粉末

Liquid (oil, paint 油漆, varnish 清漆) Foam 泡沫, dry powder, carbon dioxide
Gas (methane 甲烷, propane 丙烷)
Metal 金属(potassium, sodium, magnesium) Dry powder and dry sand 干沙

The Principle 原理 Involved in Extinguishing 灭 Fire 火

1 The principle involved is to remove 去除 one of the factors 因素 that causes combustion.
a) Cut off 断绝 the supply 供应 of fuel that caused the combustion by removing/ separating the unburnt 不
燃烧的 material from the source of fire.火源
b) Cut off the oxygen supply (by covering 覆盖 the fire with a fire blanket 灭火毯, wet sacks 湿麻袋 or dry
sand).
c) Reduce 减少 the temperature by sprinkling 洒 water or spraying 喷射 with carbon dioxide.

Safety Measures 安全措施 to Prevent the Occurrence 发生 of Fires 火灾

1. Remove flammable 易燃的 substances away from the sources
2. Avoid overloading 超负荷 a socket with too many plugs 插头

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 3. Install smoke detectors 烟雾探测器 and fire alarms 火警 at homes
4. Extinguish 扑灭 cigarette before disposal 丢弃
5. Stop open burning 公开燃烧
6. Ensure 确保 good wiring systems 接线系统

Air Pollution 空气污染

Air Pollution and Air Pollutants 污染物
1. Air pollution happens 发生 when there is an increase in the quantity 数量 of air pollutants the atmosphere.
2. Air pollutants are any substance 物质 in the air that harm 有害 health or compromise 威胁 the quality of
life. Examples of pollutants include chemical substances and fine 细小 particles 微粒 such as haze 烟雾 and
sand.
4. These foreign matter 异物 are known as the pollutants and usually come from 来自 human activities.人类
活动
4. The following shows the source of air pollutants：

.
Sources 来源 Pollutants：
• Industrial activities • Smoke 烟, soot and dust 烟尘
工业活动 • Sulphur dioxide 二氧化硫
• Nitrogen dioxide 二氧化氮
• CFCs 氟氯化碳

• Motor vehicles •Smoke, soot, carbon monoxide 一 氧 化

碳, oxides 氧化物 of nitrogen, lead 铅

• Nuclear power plants • Radioactive materials 放射性物质

核电厂

• Open burning 露 天 焚 • Smoke, soot and dust

烧
• Forest fires 森林大火

•Construction sites 施工 • Dust and soot

现场
• Asbestos 石棉 factories
• Limestone quarries
石灰石采石场

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• Agriculture 农 业 and • Aerosol spray 气溶胶喷雾
plantation 种 植 园 • Chemical fertilisers 化肥
activities • Chemical substances such as pesticide 农
药 and DDT

• Air-conditioners 空调 • Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)

• Refrigerators 冰箱
• Aerosol spray
• Electronic factories 电
子工厂

• Smoking 抽烟 •Smoke, carbon monoxide, nicotine, 尼 古

丁 tobacco tar 烟焦油

Acid Rain 酸雨

1. Sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen dissolve 溶入 in rain to form 形成 acid rain.
2. Effects 影响 of acid rain on living things: Trees destroyed 毁坏, soil becomes less fertile 肥沃 and
aquatic organisms 水底生物 die

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 温室效应

Global warming 全球暖化 causes:

(a) Melting 溶化 of ice in the North 北 and South poles 南极. This results in the rise of sea level 海平线
which leads to 导致 flooding 水灾 in low-lying regions.低洼地区
(b) Climatic changes 气候变化. For example: Certain regions will experience drought 干旱 while others
flood.水灾

Thinning of the ozone layer 臭氧层变薄

• The ozone layer 臭氧层 is able to absorb 吸收 most of the ultraviolet rays 紫外线 from the sunlight
and prevent the ultraviolet rays from reaching 到达 the Earth 地球 surface.表面
• Thinning of the ozone layer is caused by the emission 释放 of chlorofluorocarbon 氯氟烃(CFC).
• As a result more ultraviolet trays reach the Earth.
• CFCs are released from aerosol sprays, or the leaks 漏 from old 陈 旧 的 air- conditioning 空 调
systems, vehicle cooling 冷却 systems and refrigerators.冰箱
• Excessive exposure 暴露 to ultraviolet rays can cause diseases such as skin cancer 皮肤癌 and cataract 白
内障
• Ultraviolet rays also damage 毁坏 crops 农作物 and plants.植物

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The Effects of Pollutants on Humans and the Environment 环境
Health problems • Asbestos 石棉 particles 颗粒 can cause lung cancer 肺癌.
健康问题 • Lead 铅 affects 影响 mental 精神 health among children and cause brain damage 损
伤.
• Carbon monoxide reduces 减少 the amount of oxygen transported 运输 by the blood
to the body cells. It results in the risk of brain damage and can be fatal 致命.
• Sulphur dioxide irritates eyes and causes breathing problems such as bronchitis and
pneumonia.
• The oxides of nitrogen affect the respiratory system 呼吸系统 and irritates 刺激 the
eyes.

Buildings • Soot and dust make buildings dirty.肮脏

建筑物 • Acid rain corrodes 腐蚀 and speeds up 加速 the rusting 生锈 of iron and steel 钢铁
structures such as bridges 桥 and vehicles.
• Acid rain corrodes limestone 石灰石 on buildings and concrete 水泥 walls, making
them weak.弱

Plants • Acid rain increases the acidity 酸性 of the soil, making them less fertile for plants to
grow.
• Acid rain destroys trees in the forest.
• Soot and dust clog 阻 塞 the stomata 气 孔 of leaves and prevent the plants from
absorbing 吸收 gases for respiration and photosynthesis.
• Haze 烟霾 reduces the amount of sunlight reaching the plants thus decreasing the rate
of photosynthesis.

Animals Acid rain increases the acidity of ponds 池 塘 and lakes 湖 泊 causing the death of
aquatic animals like fish.

Weather 天 气 / • Excessive carbon dioxide content in the air causes greenhouse effect and global
climate 气候 warming
• Smoke and soot cause haze
• Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide cause acid rain

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 Steps 步骤 / Ways 方法 to prevent 阻止 and control 控制 Air Pollution
Enforcement of laws 执法 • All industrial activities, infrastructure buildings 基础建设 and clearing
and regulations 规则 清 除 of forests are regulated 管 制 by the authorities 有 关 当 局 in a
scheduled 预定的 way. 方式
• Acts 法令 and laws 法律 such as the Environmental Quality Act 1974
were introduced 采用 to stop activities that damage the environment.
• Heavy 严重 punishments 处罚 and fines 罚款 are imposed on 施加于
those who break 违反 these laws intentionally 有意的.

Public education 公共教育 • The attitude 态度 of loving nature 热爱自然 is instilled 灌输 into all
and awareness 觉醒 aspects of formal 正规 education 教育 in school.
• Campaigns 运动 and dissemination 传播 via social media 社媒 and mass
media 媒体 are carried out in a scheduled way.

Development 发展 of science
and technology 科技
• Fix catalytic converters 催化转化器 in motor vehicles to convert the
harmful 有 害 死 的 exhaust gases 废 气 to carbon dioxide, nitrogen and
water
• Use more efficient engine systems to ensure complete combustion 完整
燃烧 and reduces carbon monoxide 一氧化碳 emission 释放 into the air
• Use liquid 液态 petroleum gas 石油气 as fuel in motorised vehicles
• Fix filters 过 滤 on the chimneys 烟 囱 of factories to trap pollutants
before smoke is emitted 释放 into the atmosphere
• Use alternative 替代 sources of energy 能源 such as wind energy,风能
solar energy and hydroelectric 水力发电 energy to replace 代替 coal and
petrol

Changes 改变 in lifestyle 生 • Practise the 3R principle 原理, namely recycle 再循环, reuse 再使用
活方式 and reduce.减少
• Use CFC-free products
• Use unleaded 无铅 petrol
• Practise 实行'carpooling’ 共车 or use public transports 公交 to reduce
the problems of traffic congestion 交通阻塞 and haze in the city.
• Control 控制 the usage of fertilisers 肥料 and insecticides.杀虫剂

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