New
New
Year 11
Edexcel
Foundation

Atmospheric pollutants

I can describe how pollutants can be produced by impurities in fuels and by incomplete combustion.

New
New
Year 11
Edexcel
Foundation

Atmospheric pollutants

I can describe how pollutants can be produced by impurities in fuels and by incomplete combustion.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas.
  2. Carbon particulates contribute to health issues and global dimming.
  3. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are formed through burning fuels, and form acids in water.
  4. Catalytic converters help complete combustion reactions and the removal of nitrogen monoxide from exhaust gases.
  5. Hydrogen can be used as a fuel in cars and this has advantages and disadvantages.

Common misconception

Only industrial activities contribute to atmospheric pollution. Atmospheric pollutants are always visible.

Discuss natural sources of pollutants, like volcanoes. Explain that many harmful pollutants are invisible.

Keywords

  • Pollutant - A pollutant is a substance that causes damage to air, water or land.

  • Carbon monoxide - Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas produced burning carbon without enough oxygen.

  • Soot - Soot is fine, black particles of unburnt carbon.

  • Catalytic converter - A catalytic converter is a device which can be fitted to car exhausts to change harmful carbon monoxide and nitrogen monoxide into carbon dioxide and nitrogen.

  • Catalyst - A catalyst is a chemical that speeds up the rate of a reaction without itself being used up.

Carefully hold a white tile over a blue Bunsen burner flame and an orange Bunsen burner flame to show the soot produced from incomplete combustion. A hydrogen balloon explosion could be demonstrated to show the flammability of hydrogen gas.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following is a potential source of pollutants?
Correct answer: car exhaust fumes
Correct answer: industrial smoke
Correct answer: power station emissions
Correct answer: volcanoes
plants
Q2.
Which pollutant does complete combustion release into the atmosphere?
carbon monoxide
carbon particulates
Correct answer: carbon dioxide
Q3.
When a fuel combusts, which gas from the air does it react with?
Correct Answer: oxygen
Q4.
Which of the following pollutants are produced during the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbon fuels?
Correct answer: carbon monoxide
Correct answer: carbon particulates
carbon dioxide
Q5.
If a fuel containing sulfur reacts with oxygen, which of the following is a possible product?
nitrogen dioxide
Correct answer: sulfur dioxide
phosphorus dioxide
Q6.
What is the name given to a chemical that speeds up the rate of a reaction without being used up itself?
Correct Answer: catalyst, a catalyst

6 Questions

Q1.
Name the pollutant which is a colourless, odourless and toxic gas produced by the incomplete combustion of a hydrocarbon fuel.
Correct Answer: carbon monoxide, CO
Q2.
Which of the following are problems associated with carbon particulates?
Correct answer: global dimming
acid rain
global warming
Correct answer: respiratory problems
Q3.
Which of the following is a problem associated with carbon dioxide?
global dimming
acid rain
Correct answer: global warming
respiratory problems
Q4.
Which of the following pollutants form acids in water?
carbon monoxide
carbon particulates
Correct answer: carbon dioxide
Correct answer: sulfur dioxide
Correct answer: nitrogen oxides
Q5.
A is a device which can be fitted to car exhausts to change harmful carbon monoxide and nitrogen monoxide into carbon dioxide and nitrogen.
Correct Answer: catalytic converter
Q6.
Which of the following are advantages of using hydrogen fuel in cars rather than petrol?
Correct answer: It releases more energy per kilogram of fuel.
The production of hydrogen can release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Hydrogen needs to be stored in highly pressurised containers.
Correct answer: It only produces water when combusted.