Organic Chemistry
The overall goal of this unit is to asses the impact on human health, society, and environment of organic compunds used in everyday life. ex. Polymers, nutritional supplements, food additives, pharmaceuticals, and pesticides
Organic solvents can dissolve paint, oil, grease, and are used to produce plastics, dyes, detergents, textiles, and pharmaceuticals.
Workers exposed to organic solvents may experience long term effects. o Solvents from industrial spills/leaks can leach into soil and groundwater posing serious health effects.
Questions
How to safely dispose of volatile organic compounds?
What WHMIS/HHPS symbols should be on containers of pesticides?
Why are organic compounds added to food products?
What impactcan these additives have on human health?
How long doesit take for plastic to decompose?
What biodegradeable materials can be used to replace polystyrene as a packaging material?
What technologies and features can make cars more effecient?
Propose a personal course of action to reduce the use of harmful compounds
- Weed lawns by hand rather than herbicides
- fuel effecient vehicles
- cloth bags for shopping to reduce plastic
Matter
The overall goal of this unit is to assess benefits to society of technologies on principles of atomic and molecular structures. ex. magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), infrared spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, nuclear energy, medical applications of spectroscopy and mass spectroscopy
Benefits to society, and impact on the environment of specializedmaterials that are created by scientific research into the structure of matter and chemical bonding ex. bulletproof fabric, nanotechnologies, super conductors, instant adhesives
- Nanoparticles can be used in medicine as better drug delivery system, enhancement of diagnostic images, and surgical robotics
- Nanoparticle contamination can have a negative effect on the environment
In medicine, radioisotopes are bonded with chemical compounds to form radioactive tracers which are then injected into the patient’s bloodstream.
Radiation emitted by tracers allow doctors to obtain images of oragnic systems, facilitating the early and accurate diagonsis of disease o To avoid radioactive contamination, care must be taken in the storage, use, and disposal of this material

Questions
How does infrared spectroscopy aid in criminal investigation?
How has x-ray crystallography andmass spectroscopy advanced our understanding ofatomic and molecular structure?
What properties of disposable diapers enable to hold so much liquid? Impact onenvironment?
Impact on development of synthetic fibres, such as nylon, on society?
Invention of silicon chip changed society?
Energy Changes
The overall goal in this unit is to analyse some convential and alternative energy technolgies. ex. fossil fuel burning, power plants, hydro powered generators, solar panels,wind turbines, fuel cells
- Briefly discuss efficieny and impact on the environment of each
New technologies use deep lake water cooling as an alternative to air condition.
What are ontarios energy needs?
Conditons required to maxmize effeciency of common natural or industrial chemical reactions.
- temperature, pressure, presence of catalyst
- decomposition, combustion, neutralization
Bleaches such as H2O2 and chlorine used when fibres are processed into paper or textiles
- concentration can harm the environment but if enzymes are added fewer chemicals are needed, less energy consumed, less environment impact
Questions
How can you increase rate of decomposition in home composter?
Why is the ozone layer detiorating despite banning chlorofluoro carbons (CFC's)?
Equilibrium
The overall goal in this unit is to examine conditons for a specific chemical process related to the principles of equilibrium that takes place in nature or industry ex. production of sulfuric acid, electrolyte balance in humans, sedimentation in water systems
- Principle of dynamic equilibrium in industrial process to maximize products and minimize left over reactant
Also to assess impact of chemical equilibrium processess for biological, biochemical and technological systems. ex. remediation in areas of heavy metal contamination, development of gall stones, use of buffering in medications, use fo barium sulfate in medical diagonsis

Questions
Why are low temperatures condtions not used with exothermic reactions?
How do chemicals dissolved in human body help maintain pH of 7.2-7.4?
Why are headache tablets buffered?
Why is barium sulfate safe to use for x-rays of digestive systmes even though barium ions are poisonous?
How do kidney stones form?
Electrochemistry
The overall goal of this unit is to examine the reasons for using electrochemical technologies as alternative sources of energy, ex. fuel cells
- Briefly describe the impact on society and the environment?
- Hydrogen fuel cells use hydrogen as a fuel and oxygen as the oxidant and produce water
Questions
What is the capacity of a standard rechargeable battery before it has to be recharged?
How to dispose of batteries?
Analyse health and safety issues involving electrochemistry ex. corrosionof metal pipes in drinking water systems
Careers related to chemistry:
Briefly describe each of the following in a short paragraph.
Food and drug analyst, chemical safety officer, nurse practioner, consumer protection specialist, metallurgy technologist, environmental and waste managment technician, geochemist
Scientists
Research the following Canadian scientists. Briefly describe their accomplishments and how it assist with our understanding of chemistry/science today.
Robert G Ackman, Alice Wilson, Carol Ann Budd, Norman Le Bowen, Brian Evans Conway