Refer to the course description and knowledge outcomes that need to be met, as listed below. This information is provided by the VCAA in the Course guidelines.
This Area of Study focuses on the factors that affect the rate and extent of a chemical reaction. Students study energy profiles and how equilibrium law is applied to homogeneous equilibria. Students conduct experiments to investigate teh effect of temperature, concentration of reactants, pressure and catalysts on hte position of equilibrium of a reaction, and apply Le Chatelier's Principle to explain their results.
Students explore how factors affecting rate and equilibrium are applied to achieve the optimum reaction conditions in hte industrial production of chemicals.
One chemical selected from ammonia, ethene, sulfuric acid or nitric acid is studied in detail.
A summary report including annotations of three practical activities drawn from either Area of Study 1 or 2. At Salesian, we will most likely do the summary report from this Area of Study. This task will be worth 50% of the internal assessment for the Unit. From the second Area of Study (Supplying and Using Energy) assessment will consist of a written report on one practical activity (25%) and an analysis of data using structured questions (a test). This task will also be worth 25%.
Relevant practice tests in the Energy Area of Study available for student use are: Chemical Enthalpy and Energy
"VCE Chemistry Units 3 and 4" text: relevant chapters are "Chapter 6" (Chemical Equilibrium), "Chapter 7" (Industrial Processes: Iron and Sulfuric acid) and "Chapter 8" (Organic Chemistry). Note that the section of Chapter 7 on Iron is no longer required knowledge, and so can be ignored. " Chapter 11" (Enthalpy of Chemical Reactions) is also relevant
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On
completion of this Unit students should be able to relate chemical reactions and the relevant concepts (ie, rate, equilibrium, economics) to the
production of one of the important industrial chemicals: sulfuric acid, nitric acid, ammonia and
ethene.
To
achieve this outcome the student should demonstrate knowledge of:
·factors that affect the rate of a chemical reaction: concentration,
temperature, surface area of solids, use of catalysts; qualitative
explanations of changes that increase the rate of reaction; activation
energy
· energy profile diagrams for endothermic and exothermic reactions and the use ofthe DH notation
· reversible reactions; the equilibrium law applied to homogeneous
equilibria in solution and the gas phase
· Le Chatelier’s Principle; use of Le Chatelier’s Principle to
predict the effect on the position of equilibrium and equilibrium
constant, K, arising from change of pressure in gaseous equilibria, change
of concentration and change of temperature
· the self-ionisation constant of water; Kw and the use of
the pH scale
· the pH of solutions of acids and bases
· the dissociation constants of weak acids, Ka
· raw materials used in the production of sulfuric acid, the influence
of the principles of equilibrium and reaction rates on the production of
sulfuric acid; significant reactions and the optimum conditions under
which reactions proceed; use of vanadium pentoxide as a catalyst; major
uses and the acid-base, redox and dehydrating properties of sulfuric acid
· the petrochemical industry and its importance to consumers; production
of ethene from crude oil; significant reactions and conditions under which
reactions proceed; major uses and properties of ethene; reactions of
ethene including the formation of ethanol; addition polymerisation; the
formation of polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride and polystyrene from the
relevant monomers