Unit C Workbook
Worksheet 1: Chemicals in the Environment (1.1)
1.
Name: _________________
Complete the diagram below, using the following terms: nitrogen-fixing bacteria, plants,
animals, decomposers, simple nitrogen compounds, “free” nitrogen (N2), complex nitrogen
compounds, waste compounds. (8 marks)
Nitrogen
Cycle
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
How can lightning participate in the nitrogen cycle? (1 mark)
Sanitary landfill sites are used for toxic waste. What are two things in sanitary landfill sites
that prevent ground contamination? (2 marks)
What two pollutants are always released by fossil fuel combustion? (2 marks)
Sewage needs to be treated at a sewage treatment plant before being released into the
environment as effluent. What does untreated sewage usually contain? (1 mark)
Why do cities use storm sewers? (1 mark)
A bag of fertilizer has the numbers “61-4-18” written on it. Identify the amounts of each
element present in this particular bag of fertilizer. (1 mark)
Worksheet 2: Acids and Bases (1.2)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
What do the letters in “pH” stand for? (1 mark)
We often put vinegar on our French fries. Why doesn’t the vinegar damage our bodies as we
eat the fries? (1 mark)
What is the pH of a neutral substance? (1 mark)
What must be used to neutralize an acid? (1 mark)
A solution has a pH of 11. Is the solution acidic, basic or neutral? (1 mark)
The pH of a solution increases. Is the solution becoming more or less acidic? (1 mark)
Complete the table below using the following terms: universal indicator, litmus paper, pH
paper, pH meter. (4 marks)
Technology
Description
A paper test that determines only if a compound is an acid
or a base
A device that can accurately determine the pH of a
compound; it can be used for any pH between 0 and 13
A paper test that can determine the approximate pH of a
compound, to the nearest whole number
A solution of chemicals that changes colour depending on
pH; it can be used for any pH between 0 and 13
8.
9.
10.
What are the two compounds produced by a neutralization reaction? (2 marks)
Red litmus paper turns blue and blue litmus paper stays blue. What type of compound is
present? (1 mark)
The city’s water supply has too low of a pH. What can you add to the water supply to
increase the pH? (1 mark)
Worksheet 3: Common Substances Essential to Living Things (1.3)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Name the four types of organic molecules. (4 marks)
Sugar (C6H12O6) is an organic compound that contains carbon. Baking soda (H2CO3) is an
inorganic compound that also contains carbon. What makes sugar the organic compound? (1
mark)
Name the macronutrients that are responsible for the following (6 marks):
a) chlorophyll in plants [Hint:3]
b) production of fruit in plants [Hint:1]
c) composition of bones in animals [Hint:3]
d) blood clotting in animals [Hint:1]
e) resistance to diseases in plants [Hint:1]
f) proteins in animals [Hint:2]
Why is the term “micro” used to refer to micronutrients? (1 mark)
Where do plants obtain the nutrients: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen? (1 mark)
Why is it important that an organism receive the optimum amount of a nutrient?
(1 mark)
Identify the names of the elements present in the following type of compounds (2 marks):
a) Carbohydrates
b) Proteins [Hint: look at “amino acids”]
Worksheet 4: How Organisms Take in Substances (1.4)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Explain the difference between ingestion and digestion. (2 marks)
Use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast diffusion with active transport. Include at least
two differences for each, and one similarity. (5 marks)
Use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast osmosis with diffusion. Include at least one
difference for each, and one similarity. (3 marks)
What effect do enzymes have on the rate of hydrolysis? (1 mark)
A species of algae lives in the snow on top of a mountain. The snow is red because of a
pigment that is sometimes present. The red pigment blocks the chloroplasts from producing
their own food. Describe the substrate of the algae [Hint: see page 209]. (3 marks)
Worksheet 5: Monitoring Water Quality (2.1)
1.
2.
A liquid is clear and colourless. Is the liquid safe for a human to drink? Explain.
(1 mark)
From the following list, identify which are biological indicators and which are chemical
indicators (6 marks):
a) Bacteria
b) Dissolved oxygen
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
c) Mercury
d) Mosquitoes
e) Flatworms
f) pH
Name 4 specific examples of aquatic invertebrates. (4 marks)
When the chemical pH of a lake drops below a certain level, the fish can die. Below what pH
will the fish die? (1 mark)
A company dumps 25 L of PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl) toxins into a lake containing
100,000 L of water. Calculate the chemical concentration (in ppm).
(1 mark)
30 drops of alcohol are diluted in 1000 mL of water. Calculate the ppm concentration (Hint:
1 drop = 0.05 mL). (1 mark)
If 2.0 mL of table salt in put into 2000 mL of soup, calculate the concentration (in ppm). (1
mark)
Pond A contains 9.0 ppm of dissolved oxygen, Pond B contains 5.0 ppm of dissolved
oxygen, and Pond C contains 1.0 ppm of dissolved oxygen.
a) Which environment will contain the highest diversity of invertebrates? Explain [Hint: use
Figure 2.4 on p. 217]. (1 mark)
b) Describe the diversity of invertebrates in Pond B. (1 mark)
Lake A is in a windy location, while Lake B is in a calm location. Which lake is expected to
have higher dissolved oxygen content? Explain. (1 mark)
What concentration of caffeine will kill half of a rat population [Hint: see p. 221]. (1 mark)
What is the LD50 dose of table salt for rats? (1 mark)
How does spring acid shock kill aquatic organisms? (1 mark)
A farmer accidentally spills nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers into a nearby creek.
a) Predict what will occur in the creek several days after the spill. (1 mark)
b) Predict what will happen in the creek after several weeks. (1 mark)
c) Predict what the creek will be like after several months. (1 mark)
Name two harmful effects of heavy metals on young children. (2 marks)
Worksheet 7: Monitoring Air Quality (2.2)
1.
2.
3.
Scrubbers are used to convert harmful gases into useful products. Scrubbers were also used
during Apollo missions to the moon. Explain what you think scrubbers may have been used
for during an Apollo mission [Hint: think of your lungs breath in]. (1 mark)
Explain how direct measurement is more useful than estimating emissions. (1 mark)
Our planet’s atmosphere is made up of a variety of gases. Identify the amount of each gas in
the table below (3 marks):
Gas
Carbon dioxide
Oxygen
Hydrogen and Neon
4.
5.
Atmosphere (%)
Using the area graph in Figure 2.12 (p. 226), identify which process has increased NOx
emissions in Alberta between 1990 and 1995. (1 mark)
Use the area graph in Figure 2.14 (p. 228) to identify the next few questions.
a) Identify which processes have higher SO2 emissions since the early 1970’s.
(1 mark)
b) Identify which processes have lower SO2 emissions since the early 1970’s.
(1 mark)
c) Give a reason why the overall SO2 emissions in Alberta have decreased since the early
1970’s. (1 mark)
6.
7.
Why is ground-level ozone is harmful while stratospheric ozone is helpful? Explain. (2
marks)
What are VOC compounds? (1 mark)
Worksheet 8: Monitoring the Atmosphere (2.3)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Name three human activities that release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
(3
marks)
Use a Venn diagram to compare the greenhouse effect with the enhanced greenhouse effect.
Include at least one difference for each and one similarity. (3 marks)
Identify the chemical that destroys the ozone layer. (1 mark)
Identify two gases that add to the enhanced greenhouse effect. (2 marks)
What is the harmful atom in a CFC molecule? Explain why it is so harmful. (2 marks)
If the ozone layer is depleted, explain what will happen on Earth. (1 mark)
If global warming occurs, what is the long-term consequence for Earth? (1 mark)
Use the graph in Figure 2.18 on p. 231 to answer the next two questions.
a) Are CO2 levels increasing or decreasing over time? (1 mark)
b) Identify why the graph has a zig-zag (up and down) pattern. (1 mark)
Worksheet 9: Transport of Materials Through Air, Soil and Water (3.1)
1.
2.
Identify two things that can occur to water that is spilled on a field. (2 marks)
An industrial plant releases SO2 emissions from its stacks on four different days. Use the
table below to answer the following two questions.
Day
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
3.
4.
5.
6.
Weather Conditions
light wind; no rain or snow
calm day; light rain
heavy winds; no rain or snow
light winds; light snow
a) Explain which day you expect there to be the highest dispersion of SO2 emissions. (1
mark)
b) Which day you expect the most SO2 to be deposited close to the industrial plant? Explain
your answer. (1 mark)
Scientists monitor two wells closely. Well A contains thick clay, while Well B contains loose
soil.
a) Which well contains the most permeable soil? (1 mark)
b) Predict which well will contain the most groundwater contamination. Explain your
prediction. (1 mark)
If solutes are captured by water flowing through soil, what is the mixture of water and solutes
called? (1 mark)
Sometimes the soil and sediment at the bottom of a lake may be toxic. Explain how this may
occur. (1 mark)
When a gas station is dismantled, giant underground gas storage tanks have to be removed.
The soil underneath the tanks needs to be cleaned and replaced, before the land may be used
for other purposes. Explain why this important, using the term “hydrocarbons” in your
answer. (1 mark)
Worksheet 10: Changing the Concentration of Harmful Chemicals in the Environment (3.2)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Thinking about the rate of a chemical reaction, why do potatoes in warm soil rot faster than
potatoes in frozen soil? (1 mark)
If 10 L of industrial toxins is dumped into a lake, is this called dispersion or dilution?
Explain. (1 mark)
Earthworms are used to make healthy soil for plants. What is this method called?
(1 mark)
Two environments have different types of bacteria. Environment A contains aerobic bacteria,
while environment B contains anaerobic bacteria. Which type of environment is safe for
humans to live in? Explain why. (2 marks)
Some types of bacteria remove atoms from certain compounds, like PCBs.
a) What element is removed from PCBs? (1 mark)
b) What type of bacteria removes this element? (1 mark)
Some plastics cannot be buried in a landfill to break down. These plastics require light to
break down. What type of method is this? (1 mark)
Name four factors that affect the rate of biodegradation. (4 marks)
Name two types of contaminants that have been removed using phytoremediation. (2
marks)
Worksheet 11: Hazardous Chemicals Affect Living Things (3.3)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
In large concentrations, mercury is toxic for humans. Mercury is found naturally in small
concentrations in our oceans. Explain why it may be dangerous to eat large fish such as tuna
or salmon. (1 mark)
Name two toxic substances found in crude oil. (2 marks)
How much of the spilled oil from Exxon Valdez was biodegraded or degraded by light? (1
mark)
Why were floating algae killed during the spill? (1 mark)
Describe the effect of the spill on two organisms in the environment. (2 marks
How many barrels of the crude oil ultimately ended up on the beach? (1 mark)
Why is it important to learn from the Exxon Valdez oil spill? (1 mark)
Do all oil spills occur on the water? Explain. (1 mark)
Offer two reasons why some chemicals may not change while in the environment. (2
marks)
Worksheet 12: Hazardous Household Chemicals (3.4)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Name four hazardous chemicals that you would find in your own home. (4 marks)
What does WHMIS stand for? (1 mark)
Name three things that the government needs to know for newly manufactured products? (3
marks)
What are three things that an MSDS sheet can tell you about a compound? (3 marks)
Describe how each of the following hazardous chemicals could be safely stored
(5
marks):
a) Bleach
b) Hydrogen peroxide
c) Paint thinner
d) Gasoline
e) Paint