BTEC Applied Science Level 3 Unit 2: Principles and Applications of Chemistry Assignment Answers

BTEC Applied Science Level 3 Unit 2 Overview

Level: 3
Unit type: External
Guided learning hours: 60

Unit in brief

In this unit, students will explore fundamental concepts that underpin chemistry and the chemical reactions around the world.

Unit introduction

Do not consider chemistry simply as a Subject; It influences a variety of aspects of other scientific fields. If you think chemistry is restricted to labs, then you are wrong. Wherever you go, whatever you do, or whatever you see, everything is surrounded by chemistry or the chemical reactions that are making it happen. Chemistry is basically what makes this world that we are living in. This unit will provide all the required proof for making this statement true, here you will re-examine the periodic table, electronic structure, atomic bonding and structure, and more advanced concepts that includes plority, molecular shape, electronegativity, intermolecular forces, and ionisation energy.

With the help of the period 3 element and its compound, we will explore periodicity. Here, students will be taught about changes in oxidation numbers, chemical and physical properties, and even making predictions on various elements. This unit even includes branches of physical chemistry that include equilibrium, chemical kinetics and energetics. You will be able to perform mole calculation after this unit is completed, and you will be able to understand the impact green chemsitry put on the chemical industry. You will go through understanding the basics of drawing and naming the formulae, organic chemistry, you will learn isomerism and various properties, reactions of various organic compounds, and the benefits that will be provided by organic chemistry. 

Initially in the unit, you will be taught the basic prerequisite knowledge that will prepare you for the upcoming subjects and topics that will come later on in this unit. The starting will prepare you in such a sense that you will be able build your understanding and will upgrade yourself towards the final assessment. 

This unit will prepare you by covering the basics for higher education and for your professional qualifications, not just in chemistry but also for other science-based qualifications. This will eventually help you make good progress when you are looking for employment in the chemical field or in any scientific industry. 

AO1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts and theories, terminology, definitions and scientific formulae used in Chemistry.

Answer

To be able to reach this assessment outcome, the student has to demonstrate a proper knowledge of the main concepts of chemistry, apply correct scientific vocabulary, and utilise the key definitions and formulas in context. It is based on this knowledge that an understanding of chemical behaviour can be made, and that chemistry can be applied either in the practical or theoretical world.

1.  Atomic Structure and Subatomic Particles Atomic Structure and Subatomic Particles.

All matter is made up of atoms. The atom is composed of three subatomic particles: protons, neutrons and electrons. The protons are positively charged, and they are located in the nucleus, as well as the neutrons, with no charge. The electrons have a negative charge and circulate around the nucleus in certain levels of energy.

The number of protons in the nucleus defines the element and is known as its atomic number. The total number of neutrons and protons is called the mass number. The notions enable students to identify the number of subatomic particles in atoms, ions and isotopes, which is critical to chemical reactions.

2. Relative Atomic Mass and Isotopes

The majority of elements are polyatomic; they can be and are made up of several isotopes, atoms of the same element, but with varying numbers of neutrons. Relative atomic mass is the average weighted mass of all isotopes of an element which occur naturally, divided by a weighted average of the mass of a carbon-12 atom that is present in a full dozen.

Knowledge of relative atomic mass enables students to be able to determine relative formula mass and mole calculation, which is commonly used in chemistry to quantify the quantity of substances.

3. Electronic Configuration and Structure

The energy levels of the electrons are structured around the nucleus, and these subshells are differentiated as s, p and d orbitals. Electrons occupy these orbitals in a given sequence, with the lowest energy level being occupied first.

The electron configuration of an atom is a representation of the arrangement of electrons, and this can be expressed in standard notation like: 1s 2s 2p 6. Electronic structure Knowledge of electronic structure is useful in understanding periodic table trends, such as reactivity and bonding behaviour.

4. Ionisation Energy

The ionisation energy can be defined as the energy needed to strip one mole of electrons from one mole of gaseous atoms to produce one mole of gaseous ions. The initial ionisation energy is the energy that is required to remove the first electron of the atom.
The energy of ionisation rises through a sequence of increasing nuclear charge and falls down the group through the rise in shielding and separation between the nucleus and outer electrons. This idea can be used to explain why the elements in the same group share similar chemical properties.

5.  Types of Chemical Bonding

Chemical bonding describes the process of the combination of atoms to create substances. Electrons in the ionic bonding are exchanged between atoms to create positive and negative ions, which are bound together by strong electrostatic forces. Covalent bonding is supposed to revolve around the sharing of the electron pairs between atoms to make molecules. Metallic bonding is a form of bonding in the form of positive metal ions that are encircled by a sea of delocalised electrons, thus making metals electrically conducting and malleable.

Identification of various forms of bonding makes students learn about physical characteristics of substances like melting point and conductivity.

6. Calculations of the Mole and Chemical

A mole is a unit of standard that is used to measure the quantity of a substance. The mass of any substance that has 1 mole has 6.02 x 10 23 particles, which is the Avogadro constant. The mass of one mole of a substance is known as the molar mass, and is given in grams per mole (g mol -1 ).

Such definitions enable students to be able to make calculations of mass, moles, concentration and gas volumes; skills that are very important in chemistry.

7. Formulas and Equations in Chemistry

Chemical formulae are used to indicate the composition of substances, and balanced chemical equations are used to indicate how substances are changed into others. Balancing equations makes sure that the law of conservation of mass is observed, and hence, during a chemical reaction, there is no creation or destruction of atoms.

The skills of writing and interpreting chemical equations depict a good command in terms of chemical reactions and stoichiometry.

Students learn the basic knowledge of chemistry by knowing the structure of atoms, their electron configuration, bonding, ionisation energy, and the definition and formula of various important terms and equations in chemistry. This knowledge forms the background of more advanced skills like the application of concepts to calculations and analysis of chemical behaviour in various situations.

AO2 Apply knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts and theories, procedures, processes and techniques in Chemistry.

Answer: 

In order to achieve this assessment outcome, the students have to demonstrate their ability to apply their knowledge in practical and problem-solving situations, based on chemistry knowledge. This includes the application of concepts, chemical processes, calculations, data interpretation and application of proper methods in arriving at valid conclusions.

1. Use of Atomic and Electronic Structure

It is possible to use knowledge of atomic structure to identify the composition of atoms, ions and isotopes. Employing the atomic number and mass number, e.g. the students can determine the number of protons, neutrons and electrons of various species. In the case of ions, students have to use their knowledge of electron loss or gain to correctly identify the number of electrons.
Electronic configuration is also used to predict chemical behaviour. An example of this is the Group 1 metals, which are very reactive because they have one electron in their outer shell. It can be used to explain reactivity trend patterns in all elements in the periodic table, and students can use it to predict how unknown elements will act.

2. Bonding and Structure to Explain Properties

Knowledge of bonding enables students to utilise the knowledge in the explanation of the physical properties of substances. E.g. ionic compounds are difficult to melt due to strong electrostatic interactions between oppositely charged ions. On the contrary, weaker intermolecular forces make simple covalent molecules have low melting points.
The electron pair repulsion theory can also be used by students to identify the shape of the molecule, e.g. tetrahedron or trigonally planar. This can be subsequently applied to determine a molecule as polar or non-polar, and this explains such properties as solubility and boiling point.

3.    Using the Calculations and Mole Concept

The mole concept is very commonly used in chemistry computations. The relationship is used in the following way by students:

• moles = mass ÷ molar mass
• to determine the quantity of a substance that is present in a reaction. This may be, in turn, applied to balanced chemical equations to obtain reacting masses, limiting reagents, and theoretical yields.
• Students also make use of their knowledge of concentration, [where the formula is:
• concentration (mol dm -3) = moles divided by volume (dm 3).
• They are usually applied to solutions in the laboratory and industry.

4. Applying Chemical Kinetics

The rate of reactions is used in order to explain the influence of various factors on the rate of a chemical reaction. The students can use the collision theory to explain how, as the temperature rises, the reaction rate escalates because particles possess additional energy and, as a result, have more collisions, and with more intense power.

This knowledge is also used in the interpretation of the graph of concentration versus time, or in describing the catalyst effect. Many chemical reactions require the use of catalysts since they reduce the activation energy of a reaction by not being utilised in the reaction, and thus reactions are faster and more efficient.

5. Energetics and Enthalpy Change Application

Students use knowledge of changes in enthalpy to determine whether a reaction is exothermic or endothermic. They will be able to read energy level diagrams and compute changes in energy using experimental data with the help of the following formula:
•    ΔQ = mcΔT
•    This will enable the students to calculate the energy that is transferred in chemical reactions and analyse the efficiency of the various processes.

6.  Equilibrium Concepts were applied

The chemical equilibrium is used to forecast the impact of a change in the conditions of a system in equilibrium. Students will be able to use the principle of Le Chatelier to describe how the position of equilibrium changes when the concentration, pressure, or temperature is varied.
Students also use equation expressions like Kc that are used to determine equilibrium concentration and to determine whether a reaction is biased towards products or reactants in some instances.

7. Using Organic Reactions Chemistry

In organic chemistry, students utilise their knowledge to give predictions of products of reactions, i.e. addition, substitution, elimination and oxidation reactions. They should also practice the understanding of conditions of the reactions, such as the application of heat, catalysts, or particular reagents.
This application enables the students to clarify the production and modification process of organic compounds in the lab and industry.

Using the study of chemistry, students can show their competencies to apply chemistry knowledge to real and imaginary cases by utilising chemical concepts, calculations, and procedures. This assessment result demonstrates that students can go beyond memorising and apply chemistry as a problem-solving instrument in real life and academic settings.

AO3 Analyse and interpret scientific information in Chemistry.

Answer:

To satisfy this assessment outcome, students will have to perform the task of analysing data, seeing patterns, interpreting the results, and making valid conclusions based on scientific reasoning. It means clarifying tendencies, comparing data, and analysing facts as opposed to merely memorising facts or performing habitual calculations.

1.  Trend Analysis in the Periodic Table

Students can study trends of the periodic table by connecting the changes in physical and chemical properties with the atomic structure. As an example, in examining ionisation energy across a period, students are able to describe the overall trend of increasing nuclear charge and decreasing atomic radius, as well as the overall trend of increasing ionisation energy.

And like in the case of a trend down a group, students will explain the loss of ionisation energy by a decrease in electron shielding and an increase in the distance between the nucleus and the outer electrons. This kind of analysis presents a knowledge of cause-and-effect relations in chemistry.

2.  Reading between the lines in Graphs and Diagrams

Scientific data are typically displayed graphically, e.g. concentration-time curves, rate curves, or energy profile curves. These have to be interpreted by the students with the identification of the main characteristics, as they include gradients, plateaus, and slopes.

As an illustration, the steeper the gradient on a concentration time curve, the higher the rate of the reaction. The students will be able to determine the activation energy and discuss the way the existence of a catalyst will decrease the energy threshold when studying energy profile diagrams. Such interpretations show that one can draw meaningful inferences from visual data.

3.  Comparison of Experimental Results

Students will be asked to interpret experimental data through comparison, finding trends and putting them in relation to the reliability of measurements. As an example, in the analysis of rate of reaction experiments, students can assess the influence of a change in temperature or a change in concentration on the rate of reaction and explain their findings using collision theory.

This is also connected with the identification of the sources of error and the improvement recommendations, which are also aimed at making sure that the conclusions made based on the results of the experiment are valid and reliable.

4. General: Develop an interpretation of Chemical Equilibria and Yield Data
Students make interpretations on the effect of a change in conditions on yield when studying equilibrium systems. As an example, they are able to examine yield-pressure/yield-temperature curves to determine why industrial processes usually run under compromise conditions instead of at their higher yield.

This discussion shows that they had an appreciation of the fact that scientific choices are affected by both chemical laws and operational constraints, including cost, safety and efficiency.

5. The study of Organic Chemistry Data

In organic chemistry, students are able to analyse the reaction pathways by comparing various reactions and discovering patterns. As an example, they can examine how variation in molecular structure influences boiling points or how varying conditions of a reaction will give different products.

This will enable the students to understand the way organic compounds are designed and manufactured to meet a given purpose, e.g. fuels, plastics or pharmaceuticals.

6.  Making Evidence-based Conclusions

One of the most important aspects of the analysis is the ability to support the conclusion with evidence. Students have to be able to make a direct connection between the observation and the chemical theory, and the explanations should be rational and scientific. It involves the comparison of other explanations and the selection of the most suitable conclusion made by the available data.

Students are able to think on a higher level in chemistry by analysing trends, interpreting data and evaluating evidence. The result of this assessment indicates that the students can derive meaning from scientific knowledge, articulate the reasons behind the occurrence of results and apply knowledge about chemistry to scenarios that they are not familiar with.