VILLARAMA, Christian Michael A.

ESE150-2 / A73

HW#1 - ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY

1. What is Environmental chemistry?

Environmental chemistry is the study of chemical and biological processes
in the environment (land, water, and air) as shown in the Figure 1 and how
these are naturally occurring, and manufactured chemicals affect the
ecology and humans, especially human health.

Figure 1. Environmental Chemistry

This includes identifying (the source/origin) and comprehending

contamination, pollution, dangerous compounds, how they transit, function,
and react in the natural environment, and the underlying impacts on the
environment, living species, and humans.
This topic also covers laboratory work, monitoring and assessing the danger
of chemicals, developing mitigation, mitigating methods, and implementing
solutions and remediation to chemical-related problems (e.g., oil spills).
Environmental chemistry includes geology, biology, toxicology, ecology,
and hydrology. These are essential in comprehending this science.
2. What is Stoichiometry?
Stoichiometry is the mathematical study of chemical processes. It
determines how many reactants are needed or how much product is
generated in a given circumstance. Careful stoichiometry calculations are
required to carry out effective reactions; they are required to obtain the
necessary amount of product; and they assist firms in protecting their
bottom line.
3. What are the types of chemical reactions?
There are five fundamental types of chemical reactions in chemistry as
shown in Figure 2 below with equation. Chemical reactions are classified
into five types: combination, breakdown, single replacement, double
replacement, and combustion. A combination reaction is a reaction when
two or more chemicals combine to generate a new chemical composition.
A decomposition reaction breaks a chemical composition down to its
constituent components. A single replacement reaction occurs when one
ingredient replaces another in the original complex. A double replacement
reaction occurs when one element of each constituent in a chemical
equation is replaced. The last type of reaction is the combustion reaction,
which occurs when a material combines with oxygen in its gaseous form,
causing light and heat energy to be released.

Figure 2. Types of Chemical Reactions

4. Why is it important to study environmental chemistry?
The most significant part of environmental chemistry is studying chemical
processes that occur in the environment and are impacted by anthropogenic
activity. Understanding chemical processes and equations, solutions, units,
sampling, and analytical procedures are all critical subjects in chemistry.
Environmental chemists investigate the characteristics of pollutants, their
impact on the air, water, and soil environments, and the implications for
human health and the natural environment.
Environmental chemistry is an important issue, but it is also an important
subject (since without it, it is difficult to properly grasp other disciplines and
topics such as water treatment and sewage treatment, for example).
Environmental chemists use logic to analyze and comprehend what is going
on in the system under observation.
5. Describe how elements are grouped in the periodic table.

Figure 3. Periodic Table of Elements

 Elements are classified according to their period and group. The period
corresponds to the principal energy level and the group relating to the extent
the subshells are filled. The qualities of an atom are closely related to the
number of electrons in different orbitals, and the periodic table acts as a
road map among those orbitals, allowing chemical properties to be derived
from the location of the elements on the table.
6. Define: mass density, specific weight, specific gravity, and viscosity.
The mass density of a fluid is defined as the ratio of a fluid's mass to its
volume. The density of a fluid is defined as its mass per unit volume. The
symbol for this is (rho), while the unit of mass density is (kg/m3). Although
the density of liquids is constant, the density of gases varies with
temperature and pressure.
The specific weight also knows as weight density or particular density of a
fluid is defined as the ratio of the fluid's weight to its volume. Weight density
is often referred to as weight per unit volume of a fluid. The symbol for this
is 'w,' and the unit of mass density is (N/m3).
Specific gravity is defined as the density or weight density of a fluid divided
by a reference fluid's viscosity or weight density. We know that the standard
fluid is water thus, for liquids, water is the normal fluid, and for gases, the
air is the standard fluid. Most importantly, specific gravity is referred to as
relative density. This is denoted by the symbol 'S,' which is dimensionless
because the upper and lower units are canceled.
The resistance to flow deformation is defined as viscosity. It's the internal
resistance of two particles. Fluidity is defined as the reciprocal of viscosity.
Mathematically, viscosity measures internal resistance between two moving
fluid particles.
There is a distinct distinction between density and specific gravity even
though both describe mass and compare various substances (Figure 4).
Density is a quality of matter that is expressed by a mass-to-volume ratio.
Specific gravity, often known as relative density, is a measure of density in
relation to the density of pure water. Water has various qualities, including
conductivity and many more.
 Figure 4. Difference between density and specific gravity

7. Give at least 3 scientists who made significant contributions in chemistry.

Mario Molina was a Mexican-born scientist born in Mexico City on March
19, 1943. In 1995, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his
work on the disintegration of the ozonosphere. Molina moved to the United
States and joined Rowland at Berkley. They conducted studies on
contaminants in the atmosphere. They discovered that CFC gases climbed
into the stratosphere, where UV light broke them down into elements like
chlorine and fluorine and carbon. Molina's achievements have influenced
environmental protection. Moreover, Molina authored several scientific
articles, many of which are currently utilized as study subjects and left
behind to be used for further tests to give predictions and scenarios for
scientists to work on in the future.
Lisa Meitner collaborated closely with chemist Otto Hahn to study
radioactivity. By combining his chemical knowledge with her physics
understanding, they identified the protactinium element, which is dangerous
due to its radioactivity. Meitner found a radiationless transition in 1923,
which became known as the Auger effect after it was 'discovered' two years
later by Pierre Victor Auger and named after him (this seemed to happen to
women in science a lot).
Kenichi Fukui was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1981. The
"Frontier Orbital Theory of Chemical Reactivity" was his theory. His idea
maintained that the location and pace of any reaction were utterly reliant on
the shape and energy of the highest and lowest filled molecular orbitals. His
concept of chemical reactivity contributed to a better understanding of
 compounds and their reactants. He was able to sketch a border orbital
through his efforts and theories, providing scientists with a visual depiction
of this electron.
8. Define: buffer, alkalinity, and acidity.
Buffer – solutions that can resist changes in pH, are key to maintaining
stable H+ ion concentrations in biological systems. When there are too many
H+ ions, a buffer will absorb some of them, bringing pH back up; and when
there are too few, a buffer will donate some of its own H+ ions to reduce the
pH. Buffers typically consist of an acid-base pair, with the acid and base
differing by the presence or absence of a proton (a conjugate acid-
base pair).
Alkalinity – measures a solution's ability to react with a strong acid (often
sulfuric acid H2SO4) to a set pH. A solution's alkalinity is typically composed
of carbonate, bicarbonate, and hydroxides. The higher the alkalinity, similar
to acidity, the more neutralizing agent is required to neutralize it. In general,
wastewater with lower acidity and higher alkalinity performs better in
treating plants and collecting systems.
Acidity - measures the capacity of a solution to react with a strong base
(often sodium hydroxide, NaOH) to a preset pH value. This measurement
is based on the overall acidic constituents of a solution (strong and weak
acids, hydolyzing salts, and so on). It is conceivable to have very acidic
water while having a moderate pH. Similarly, a sample's pH might be low
yet with low acidity. Acidity is analogous to a buffer in that the stronger the
acidity, the more neutralizer is needed to offset it.

The PH Scale
The pH scale (Figure 5) is used to rank solutions in terms of acidity or
basicity (alkalinity). Since the scale is based on pH values, it is logarithmic,
meaning that a change of 1 pH unit corresponds to a ten-fold change in H+
ion concentration. The pH scale is often said to range from 0 to 14, and
most solutions do fall within this range, although it’s possible to get a pH
below 0 or above 14. Anything below 7.0 is acidic, and anything above 7.0
is alkaline, or basic.
 Figure 5. PH Scale

9. What are the classification of hydrocarbons?

Hydrocarbons are organic molecules composed of carbon and hydrogen
that are studied in organic chemistry.
The 4 general classes of hydrocarbons are: alkanes, alkenes, and
alkynes. They have distinct structures and diverse physical and chemical
characteristics.
Alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons, which means they have a single link
between their atoms. The simplest are saturated hydrocarbons, which are
hydrogen-rich. Because carbon bonds are stable and do not easily break,
alkane molecules are not highly reactive. They have no functional groups
on their carbon atoms.
 Alkenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons, which means they have one or
more double or triple bonds between carbon atoms. Alkenes are
unsaturated hydrocarbons that include at least one double bond.
Alkynes, like unsaturated hydrocarbons, feature one or more triple bonds
between carbon atoms. Alkynes are more reactive than alkenes and
alkanes; they polymerize and oligomerize more readily. Polyacetylenes
are the polymers created, and they have semiconducting characteristics.
Because of triple, unsaturated bonds, they are very reactive and easily
undergo addition reactions.

10. Enumerate the latest complete list of states of matter.

Figure 6. States of Matter list

The 5 Phases of Matter:

Solids - Particles in a solid are packed closely together and do not move
much. Because the electrons in each atom are continually moving, the bits
have a slight vibration, but their location is stable. As a result, particles in a
solid have extremely little kinetic energy. Solids have a distinct shape,
mass, and volume, and they do not adapt to the shape of the container in
which they are stored. Solids are also dense, which means that the particles
are closely packed together.
Liquids - The particles in a liquid are more loosely packed than in a solid
and can flow past each other, giving the liquid an infinite form. As a result,
the liquid will take on the shape of its container. Like solids (though most
have a lower density than solids), liquids are extremely difficult to compress.
Gas - The particles in a gas have a lot of space between them and a lot of
kinetic energy. A gas does not have a fixed shape or volume. A gas's
particles will spread out forever if it is unconfined; if it is confined, the gas
will expand to fill its container. When a gas is compressed by lowering the
capacity of the container, the distance between particles decreases and the
gas is compressed.
Plasma – This is a form of matter that resembles a gas yet possesses
features that a gas lacks. Plasma, like a gas, has no set volume or shape.
Plasma, unlike gases, can conduct electricity and respond to magnetism.
This is due to charged particles known as ions in the plasma. This offers
plasma other intriguing features. It, for example, sparkles with light.
Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC) - Scientists invented it in 1995. As
previously reported by Live Science, Eric Cornell, and Carl Weiman of the
Joint Institute for Lab Astrophysics (JILA) in Boulder, Colorado, used a
combination of lasers and magnets to chill a sample of rubidium to within a
few degrees of absolute zero. At this exceedingly low temperature, the
molecular motion almost comes to a halt. Because nearly little kinetic
energy is passed from one atom to the next, the atoms start to cluster
together. There are no longer thousands of individual atoms but only one
"super atom."
 References

Bagley, M. & Dutfield, S. (2021, December 13). The five states of matter: Definition and
phases of change. Live Science. https://www.livescience.com/46506-states-of-
matter.html

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Fukui Kenichi.” Encyclopaedia Britannica,

Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/biography/Fukui-
Kenichi

Carey, F. A. (n.d). Hydrocarbon. Chemical Compound. Britannica.

https://www.britannica.com/science/hydrocarbon

Difference Between Density and Specific Gravity. https://byjus.com/physics/difference-

between-density-and-specific-gravity/

Environmental Chemistry. https://ballotpedia.org/Environmental_chemistry,_1950-2016

Famous Scientists. https://www.famousscientists.org/mario-molina/

Loftus, T. (n.d). Acidity and Alkalinity. http://www.lagoonsonline.com/laboratory-

articles/acid.htm#:~:text=Acidity%20is%20similar%20to%20a,H2SO4)%20to%20
a%20predetermined%20pH.

Properties of Fluid. https://learnmechanical.com/properties-of-fluid/

Stoichiometry. https://www.khanacademy.org/science/ap-chemistry-beta/x2eef969c74e
0d802:chemical-reactions/x2eef969c74e0d802:stoichiometry/a/stoichiometry

Types of Chemical Reactions. https://chem.libretexts.org/Courses/Valley_City_State_

University/Chem_121/Chapter_5%3A_Introduction_to_Redox_Chemistry/5.3%3
A_Types_of_Chemical_Reactions

Wood, C. & Biggs, B. (2021, December 13). How Periodic Table of the Elements is
arranged. Live Science. https://www.livescience.com/28507-element-groups.html