Senior Library Books
Resource Key
When accessing content use the numbers below to guide you:
LEVEL 1
brief, basic information laid out in an easy-to-read format. May use informal language. (Includes most news articles)
LEVEL 2
provides additional background information and further reading. Introduces some subject-specific language.
LEVEL 3
lengthy, detailed information. Frequently uses technical/subject-specific language. (Includes most analytical articles)
Linked Databases
- Australia/New Zealand Reference Centre Plus This link opens in a new window This resource provides the largest collection of full text from leading regional and international newspapers and periodicals, full-text reference books, tens of thousands of full-text biographies, and a collection of images containing more than one million photos, maps, and flags.
- Britannica Schools This link opens in a new window Britannica School covers the core subject areas of English, Maths, Science and History. Interactive lessons, activities, games, stories, worksheets, manipulatives, study guides and research tools.
Introduction
Welcome to the research guide for Chemistry: Fuels, Metals and Pharmaceuticals. This guide has been created to assist Year 10 students researching the benefits and limitations of the applications of science and technology within the Fuel, Metal or Pharmaceutical industries.
"For the first two-thirds of the 20th century, chemistry was seen by many as the science of the future. The potential of chemical products for enriching society appeared to be unlimited. Increasingly, however, and especially in the public mind, the negative aspects of chemistry have come to the fore. Disposal of chemical by-products at waste-disposal sites of limited capacity has resulted in environmental and health problems of enormous concern. The legitimate use of drugs for the medically supervised treatment of diseases has been tainted by the growing misuse of mood-altering drugs. The very word chemicals has come to be used all too frequently in a negative sense. There is, as a result, a danger that the pursuit and application of chemical knowledge may be seen as bearing risks that outweigh the benefits." (Britannica, 2016)
Science Bank Industrial Chemistry
Lammas Science. (2012, December 13). Science Bank Industrial Chemistry [Video File]
Innovations in Chemistry
- University of New South Wales. (2016, September 5). Chemical technologies. Retrieved from http://www.innovations.unsw.edu.au/technology-tags/chemicalThis University of New South Wales site explores the latest Chemical technologies changing the world.
- American Chemistry Council. (2016). Innovation. Retrieved from https://www.americanchemistry.com/Innovation/From developing solar-powered aircraft to pioneering the latest advancements in pharmaceuticals, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) members are at the forefront of innovation. In 2015, chemical companies invested $93 billion in research and development to support innovation.
- Lorch, M. (2015, June 2). Five chemistry inventions that enabled the modern world. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/five-chemistry-inventions-that-enabled-the-modern-world-42452Did you know that the discovery of a way to make ammonia was the single most important reason for the world’s population explosion from 1.6 billion in 1900 to 7 billion today? Or that polythene, the world’s most common plastic, was accidentally invented twice?
- Mulvaney, P. (2016). Chemistry. Chemistry In Australia, 28-30.The article discusses the launch of Australian Decadal Plan for Chemistry which supported growth in chemical manufacturing and research and mentions the challenges for the 2016-2025 Decadal Plan for Chemistry. It mentions the implementation of the core goals of the decadal plan will require the chemistry community to coordinate the development of policies across the chemistry industry, R&D and education sectors. It also mentions the plans challenges in communication across the sector.
Key Terms
- fuel A substance that produces useful energy when it undergoes a chemical or nuclear reaction. Fuel such as coal, wood, oil, or gas provides energy when burned. Compounds in the body such as glucose are broken down into simpler compounds to provide energy for metabolic processes. Some radioactive substances, such as plutonium and tritium, provide energy by undergoing nuclear fission or fusion.
- hydrocarbon any of a class of compounds containing only hydrogen and carbon, as an alkane, methane, CH 4, an alkene, ethylene, C 2 H 4, an alkyne, acetylene, C 2 H 2, or an aromatic compound, benzene, C 6 H 6.
- vanadium a rare element occurring in certain minerals and obtained as a light-gray powder with a silvery luster or as a ductile metal: used as an ingredient of steel to toughen it and increase its shock resistance. Symbol: V; atomic weight: 50.942; atomic number: 23; specific gravity: 5.96.
- photovoltaic Capable of producing a voltage, usually through photoemission, when exposed to radiant energy, especially light.
- carbon dioxide A colorless, odorless gas that is present in the atmosphere and is formed when any fuel containing carbon is burned. It is breathed out of an animal's lungs during respiration, is produced by the decay of organic matter, and is used by plants in photosynthesis. Carbon dioxide is also used in refrigeration, fire extinguishers, and carbonated drinks. Chemical formula: CO 2.
- biofuel Fuel produced from renewable resources, especially plant biomass, vegetable oils, and treated municipal and industrial wastes. Biofuels are considered neutral with respect to the emission of carbon dioxide because the carbon dioxide given off by burning them is balanced by the carbon dioxide absorbed by the plants that are grown to produce them. The use of biofuels as an additive to petroleum-based fuels can also result in cleaner burning with less emission of carbon monoxide and particulates. ◇ Ethanol produced by fermenting the sugars in biomass materials such as corn and agricultural residues is known as bioethanol. Bioethanol is used in internal-combustion engines either in pure form or more often as a gasoline additive. ◇ Biodiesel is made by processing vegetable oils and other fats and is also used either in pure form or as an additive to petroleum-based diesel fuel. ◇ Biogas is a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide produced by the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter such as sewage and municipal wastes by bacteria. It is used especially in the generation of hot water and electricity.
- metals Any of a large group of chemical elements, including iron, gold, copper, lead, and magnesium, that readily become cations and form ionic bonds, having relatively free valence electrons (electrons in the outer shells). Metals are generally good conductors of electricity because of the freedom of their valence electrons. Metals generally conduct heat well, and in solid form are relatively malleable and ductile compared to other solids. They are usually shiny and opaque. All metals except mercury are solid at room temperature. An alloy, such as steel or bronze, made of two or more metals. In astronomy, any atom except hydrogen and helium. Small stones or gravel, mixed with tar to form tarmac for the surfacing of roads.
- pharmaceutical adjective 1. of or relating to drugs or pharmacy
- Bayer process The Bayer process is the industrial route to produce alumina, named after its creator Karl Josef Bayer in 1887. This was one year after the simultaneous invention of the electrolytic process by Hall and Héroult to manufacture alumiium from alumina.
- analgesic A drug used to eliminate pain; a painkiller. Aspirin and acetaminophen are analgesics.
Research and Essay Guide
- State Library of Victoria. (2017). Research skills and essay writing. Retrieved from http://ergo.slv.vic.gov.au/learn-skills/research-skillsThis step-by-step guide shows you how to break down research tasks into manageable parts and find reliable information.