OCR Cambridge Technical in
Science
Level 2
UNIT 10:
CHEMISTRY OF PRODUCTION
Chemistry of production
The UK chemical industry has
a turnover of over £57 billion a
year and employs nearly
200,000 people.
It is one of the country’s
largest and safest
manufacturing industries.
Why are chemicals so
important?
Everything you use is
made from chemicals.
The manufacture and
production of these chemicals
is essential in everyday life.
Important chemical processes
Haber Process = Ammonia
eg fertilisers,
cleaning products
Important chemical processes
Contact Process = Sulfuric acid
eg dyes and pigments,
pharmaceuticals, antifreeze
Important chemical processes
Electrolysis of brine = Chlorine and hydrogen
eg disinfecting drinking
water, textiles,
paper products
Important chemical processes
Fermentation = Ethanol
eg perfumes
Chemical processes
A Chemical process is a method of changing one or
more chemicals or chemical compounds.
Preparation
of feedstock
Synthesis
Separation
of products
Monitoring the purity of
product
Handling of by-products
and waste
All Chemicals are produced using the
same steps/processes.
Reactions
Chemical reactions happen all the time and they are
affected by a number of factors.
Surface area
The recycling and
production of polymers
uses a variety of sizes of
surface area when
producing new products.
Temperature
The production of ammonia
in the Haber process
requires a specific
temperature and pressure
to ensure the highest yield
is produced.
Rates of
reaction
Concentration
Catalysts
The production of sulfuric
acid in the contact process
uses a catalyst.
Conditions
All reactions need specific conditions in order for them to
produce a high yield.
A high yield will result in
more money for a company
and also more chemicals
for further production.
The Contact process is
used to produce Sulfuric
acid.
What are the dangers of
chemicals?
Chemicals can be very dangerous if they are not handled
correctly. This can lead to:
Universal hazard symbols are used to identify the
dangers of chemicals in the laboratory or in transit.
leakages
explosions
fires
Release of toxic or hazardous
materials that can cause illness,
injury, disability or death.
Being green
Chemicals are useful, but also very polluting and dangerous.
How can we protect our environment?
Air pollution:
chlorine gas from
electrolysis
Pollution
Spillages: toxic or
radioactive
substances
Waste chemicals: such
as hyrdogen sulfide and
hydrogen chloride
What will you learn?
About a variety of
chemical processes.
The factors that
govern the rate and
yield of a chemical
process.
How the chemical industry
maintains a good safety
record in the manufacture
and transport of chemicals.
Why and where
chemical plants are
located.
How waste treatment
methods can be used
to minimise the
environmental impact
of a chemical
process.
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 Slide 4 Scientist: Style_photography.de/Shutterstock.com  Slide 5 Man with capsule: Jane0606/Shutterstock.com  Slide 6 Cleaning products:
Maxx_Studio/Shutterstock.com  Slides 7 and 12 Antifreeze: nikkytok/Shutterstock.com, medicines: Olga Mitsova/Shutterstock.com  Slide 8 Bottle:
VictoriaKh/Shutterstock.com, paper: Lipskiy/Shutterstock.com  Slide 9 Perfume: Digital genetics/Shutterstock.com  Slide 13 Spillage Zelfit/Shutterstock.com,
Man in gas mask: Anatolym/Shutterstock.com  Slide 14 Man hugging Earth: Amasterphotographer/Shutterstock.com  Slide 15 Scientist:
Anatolym/Shutterstock.com