Around the World in 18 Elements
by Scott, David A.







Chapter 1 Phosphorus1(9)
1.1 Phosphorus the Non-metal?
1(1)
1.2 The Discovery of Phosphorus
2(1)
1.3 Oxidation States of Phosphorus
3(1)
1.4 The Phosphorus Cycle
4(3)
1.5 Will Phosphorus ever Run Out?
7(1)
1.6 Phosphorus Extraction and "Green Chemistry"
8(1)
1.7 Conclusions
8(1)
References
9(1)
Chapter 2 Iron10(9)
2.1 Journey to the Centre of the Earth
10(1)
2.2 Life on Earth
11(1)
2.3 The Iron Age
12(1)
2.4 Our Iron-clad Civilization
13(1)
2.5 The Versatility of Iron Chemistry
13(1)
2.6 Iron and the Great Oxidation Event
13(1)
2.7 Some Iron Compounds: Mohr's Salt
14(1)
2.8 Iron at the Centre of Things Again
15(2)
2.9 Global Warming! Iron Comes to the Rescue?
17(1)
2.10 Conclusions: Iron and Mars
17(1)
References
18(1)
Chapter 3 Nitrogen19(9)
3.1 Nitrogen: Life-limiting Element
19(1)
3.2 Activating Nitrogen
20(1)
3.3 Rates of Reaction
21(1)
3.4 The Law of Constant Composition
22(1)
3.5 Producing Nitric Oxide (NO)
22(1)
3.6 Game for a Laugh?
23(1)
3.7 He who Laughs Last...
23(1)
3.8 Air Bags
23(1)
3.9 Amino Acids
24(1)
3.10 Nitrogen: Stable Element, Reactive Compounds
25(1)
3.11 Molecule of the 20th Century?
26(1)
3.12 Conclusions
27(1)
Reference
27(1)
Chapter 4 Sulfur28(11)
4.1 Sulfur and Alchemy
28(1)
4.2 The Sulfur Cycle
29(1)
4.3 Sulfur in the Earth's Crust
30(1)
4.4 Sulfuric Acid
31(1)
4.5 Sulfates
32(2)
4.6 Sodium Thiosulfate: A Useful Analyte
34(1)
4.7 Organic Sulfur
35(1)
4.8 Sulfur in Proteins
36(1)
4.9 Sulfur: A Role in Getting Life Started?
36(1)
4.10 Sulfur and Hydrothermal Vents
37(1)
4.11 Conclusions
38(1)
References
38(1)
Chapter 5 Calcium39(10)
5.1 Dalton's Symbol for Lime
40(1)
5.2 Slaked Lime
41(1)
5.3 Extraction of Calcium
42(1)
5.4 Identifying Calcium from its Atomic Emission Spectrum
42(1)
5.5 Calcium, Cement and Concrete
43(1)
5.6 Hard Water, Scum and Scale
44(2)
5.6.1 Scum
44(1)
5.6.2 How Hard is Your Water?
45(1)
5.6.3 Quantifying Calcium Ions in Solution
45(1)
5.7 Limestone and Soil pH Regulation
46(1)
5.8 Calcium's Biological Role
46(2)
5.8.1 Intracellular Calcium
47(1)
5.8.2 Calcium is there at the Very Beginning of life...
48(1)
5.8.3 ...And at the End
48(1)
5.9 Conclusions
48(1)
Chapter 6 Lead49(10)
6.1 Plumbers
50(1)
6.2 Lead and Silver
51(1)
6.3 Lead Extraction
52(1)
6.4 The Romans and Lead
53(1)
6.4.1 Roman Wine
53(1)
6.5 Lead in your Bones?
54(1)
6.6 Red Lead
54(1)
6.7 The Lead-acid Accumulator Battery
54(1)
6.8 Lead Isotopes and the Age of the Earth
55(1)
6.9 Tetra-ethyl Lead
55(2)
6.10 Lead Poisoning: Some more Biochemistry
57(1)
6.11 Conclusions
58(1)
References
58(1)
Chapter 7 Lithium59(10)
7.1 Lithium and Magnesium: A Diagonal Relationship
59(1)
7.2 Stones and Stars
60(1)
7.3 The Electrochemistry of Lithium
61(3)
7.4 Lithium Carbonate
64(1)
7.5 Lithium Compounds in Organic Synthesis
65(1)
7.6 Apollo 13: Lithium Hydroxide to the Rescue
66(1)
7.7 Lithium: "Like Walking on the Bottom of the Ocean"
67(1)
7.8 Conclusions
68(1)
Reference
68(1)
Chapter 8 Iodine69(7)
8.1 A New Element from Seaweed
69(1)
8.2 Testing for Iodine with Starch
70(1)
8.3 Extracting Iodine from Seaweed
71(1)
8.4 Iodine Deciency
72(1)
8.4.1 Thyroxine
72(1)
8.5 Iodine and Radioactivity
73(1)
8.6 Iodide as a Catalyst
74(1)
8.7 Iodine, kelp and the Climate
75(1)
8.8 Conclusions
75(1)
References
75(1)
Chapter 9 Copper76(10)
9.1 Copper in History
77(1)
9.2 Venus, Goddess of Love (and Copper)
78(1)
9.3 Modern Copper Rening
79(1)
9.4 Copper Coins
80(1)
9.5 Copper, Redox Reactions and the Concept of Free Energy
81(2)
9.5.1 Experimental Procedure for Determining Enthalpy of Reaction
81(1)
9.5.2 Results
81(2)
9.6 Copper and Biochemistry
83(2)
9.6.1 Copper as a Micronutrient
84(1)
9.7 Conclusions
85(1)
References
85(1)
Chapter 10 Fluorine86(10)
10.1 Natural Abundance
87(1)
10.2 Apatites
88(1)
10.3 Determining the Bond Enthalpy of F2 using a Born-Haber Cycle
89(1)
10.4 Fluorine and Redox
89(1)
10.5 Organofluorine Compounds
90(1)
10.6 Noroxacin: An Antibiotic of Last Resort?
91(1)
10.7 Fluoro Polymers
92(1)
10.7.1 Inertness can be a Problem
92(1)
10.8 The Effect of Fluorine on pKa
93(1)
10.9 Sulfur Hexafluoride
93(1)
10.10 Sarin
94(1)
10.11 19F Atoms can give Rise to an NMR Spectrum
94(1)
10.12 Some Microbes can Metabolize Organofluorines
95(1)
10.13 Conclusions
95(1)
Chapter 11 Aluminium96(8)
11.1 Aluminium: Period Three's Odd Man Out
97(1)
11.2 Aluminium Extraction
97(2)
11.2.1 Electrolysis
98(1)
11.3 Cleaning your Silverware with Aluminium Foil
99(1)
11.4 Alums
100(1)
11.5 Molecules with Aluminium
100(1)
11.6 Aluminium and its Alloys
101(1)
11.7 The Thermite Reaction
101(1)
11.8 Is Aluminium Harmful?
102(1)
11.9 Conclusions
103(1)
Chapter 12 Hydrogen104(10)
12.1 Hydrogen: A Unique Element
105(1)
12.2 Solving the Sun's Energy Problem
105(1)
12.3 Hydrogen Production and Usage
106(2)
12.4 Water and the Development of Chemistry
108(1)
12.5 Water and the pH Scale
109(2)
12.6 Hydrogen Bonding
111(1)
12.7 Proton NMR
111(2)
12.8 Conclusions
113(1)
Reference
113(1)
Chapter 13 Chlorine114(10)
13.1 Chlorine: A Member of Group VII, the Halogens
115(1)
13.2 Preparation of Chlorine
115(1)
13.3 Chlorine in the Prevention of Infection
116(1)
13.4 Chlorine and Water Sterilization
117(1)
13.5 Chlorate I (or Hypochlorite)
118(1)
13.6 Chlorine's Isotopic Signature
119(1)
13.7 Chlorine-based Medicines and the Treatment of Cancer
120(1)
13.8 Some more Chlorine-containing Molecules
120(1)
13.9 Chloride Ions and the Cell
121(1)
13.10 CFCs
122(1)
13.11 Conclusions
123(1)
Chapter 14 Zinc124(9)
14.1 Zinc: 'd' block yes, Transition Metal no
125(1)
14.2 Zinc Isotopes
125(1)
14.3 Zinc: Abundance and Extraction
126(1)
14.3.1 Extraction
126(1)
14.4 Zinc and the Voltaic Pile
127(2)
14.4.1 Humphrey Davy and the Voltaic Pile
128(1)
14.4.2 The Voltaic Pile and Its Impact on Neuroscience
129(1)
14.5 The Daniell Cell
129(1)
14.6 The Nernst Equation
129(2)
14.7 Zinc Alkaline Electrochemical Cells
131(1)
14.8 Zinc: Galvanizing and the Sacricial Anode
131(1)
14.9 Some Zinc Biochemistry
131(1)
14.10 Conclusions
132(1)
References
132(1)
Chapter 15 Mercury133(8)
15.1 Liquid Silver
134(1)
15.2 Mercury and Alchemy
134(1)
15.3 Cinnabar
135(1)
15.4 Mercury II Oxide and the Birth of Modern Chemistry
135(1)
15.5 Mercury and the Castner-Kellner Process
136(2)
15.6 The Mercury Cell
138(1)
15.7 Mercury: Poison or Cure?
138(1)
15.8 Organomercury
139(1)
15.9 Conclusions
140(1)
Reference
140(1)
Chapter 16 Manganese141(8)
16.1 Manganese and Redox Chemistry
141(2)
16.1.1 Redox Titrations Involving Manganate VII
142(1)
16.2 Manganese and Biogeochemical Cycles
143(1)
16.3 Some more Redox Reactions of Manganese Ions in Solution
144(1)
16.4 Measuring Dissolved Oxygen: The Winkler Titration
145(1)
16.5 Some more Useful Manganese Compounds
146(1)
16.6 Manganese and the Evolution of Photosynthesis
147(1)
16.7 Conclusions
147(2)
Chapter 17 Oxygen149(9)
17.1 Oxygen Above and Below
150(1)
17.2 Oxygen: The First Global Pollutant
151(1)
17.3 The "Discovery" of Oxygen
152(1)
17.4 Oxygen: "Acid Former"
153(1)
17.5 Oxygen and the Ozone Layer
154(1)
17.6 Oxygen in Organic Chemistry
155(1)
17.7 Reactive Oxygen Species
156(1)
17.8 Conclusions
157(1)
Reference
157(1)
Chapter 18 Carbon158(10)
18.1 Carbon: Limitless Potential
159(2)
18.2 Spectroscopic Analysis
161(1)
18.3 Carbon Chemistry and Optical Isomerism
161(1)
18.4 Vitalism and Organic Chemistry
162(1)
18.5 From Organic Chemistry to Biochemistry
162(1)
18.6 R or S, + or -
163(1)
18.7 Carbon Dioxide and the Oceans
164(1)
18.8 Buffering the Oceans
165(1)
18.9 Buffering the Blood: Carbonic Anhydrases
165(1)
18.10 Carbon Isotopes and Life's Signature
166(1)
18.11 Conclusions
167(1)
References
167(1)
Answers168(58)
Subject Index226


A long-term chemistry teacher at the secondary level, Scott seeks to engage high school students-and intrigue others-with stories about 18 common elements in history, legend, literature, science, and daily life. He sprinkles questions throughout the text and appends answers with brief explanations. Among his topics are the versatility, of iron chemistry, limestone and soil pH regulation, Apollo 13: lithium hydroxide to the rescue, cleaning your silverware with aluminum, zinc alkaline electrochemical cells, oxygen and the ozone layer, and carbon isotopes and life's signature. Distributed in the US by Ingram Publisher Services. Annotation ©2015 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)





Around the World in 18 Elements


By David A. Scott

The Royal Society of Chemistry

Copyright © 2014 Scott
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-84973-804-0


Contents

Chapter 1 Phosphorus,
Chapter 2 Iron,
Chapter 3 Nitrogen,
Chapter 4 Sulfur,
Chapter 5 Calcium,
Chapter 6 Lead,
Chapter 7 Lithium,
Chapter 8 Iodine,
Chapter 9 Copper,
Chapter 10 Fluorine,
Chapter 11 Aluminium,
Chapter 12 Hydrogen,
Chapter 13 Chlorine,
Chapter 14 Zinc,
Chapter 15 Mercury,
Chapter 16 Manganese,
Chapter 17 Oxygen,
Chapter 18 Carbon,
Subject Index,


CHAPTER 1

Phosphorus


Phosphorus has got itself a bit of a bad name over the years. According to Issac Asimov in his very readable New Guide to Science, phosphorus was the impurity responsible for scuppering Henry Bessemer's initial attempts to produce high quality steel. It was also responsible for the awful medical condition known as "phossy jaw", which developed as a result of early "strike anywhere" matches that contained white phosphorus and, as we will see, this element also played a devastating part in World War II. It wasn't until the second half of the twentieth century that scientists began to get a full insight into just how vital phosphorus is for life.


1.1 PHOSPHORUS THE NON-METAL?

Phosphorus is the second member of group V in the periodic table, just below nitrogen. Its position firmly to the right of the stepped dividing line that all year 10 students draw on their periodic table places it firmly in the non-metals section of the table. However, at A level it is important to recognize that the material world rarely conforms to our hard and fast metaphysical categories, and that this line of demarcation is rather more "fuzzy" than implied at GCSE. The so-called metalloids highlight this more gradual change from metallic to non-metallic character; the semi-conducting properties of silicon and germanium are well known, but to find that phosphorus can exist in an allotropic form that can conduct electricity (black phosphorus) came as quite a shock ... at least to this author!

Lesson 1: be prepared to appreciate the subtlety of chemistry. The other more common allotropes of phosphorus are white and red.

Q1. Define the term allotrope and name one other non-metal element and one metal element that can exist as allotropes.

Q2. A typical human body contains between 600 to 800 g of phosphorus and yet a dosage of 100 mg of white phosphorus can be fatal. How can you explain this apparent contradiction?


1.2 THE DISCOVERY OF PHOSPHORUS

The first isolation of phosphorus is attributed to Henning Brandt (Hamburg, 1669). The story is well known for its "yuck" factor in that Brandt required gallons of human urine, acquired from Hamburg bierkellers, which he then commenced to heat, evaporate, allow to putrefy for days, filter and heat again until samples of phosphorus vapor were condensed over and collected under water. However, at this time in history, the alchemical paradigm held sway and Brandt thought that he might have stumbled on the fabled philosopher's stone: that which could turn base metal into gold. Brandt failed to make his fortune but was, at least, spared the horrifying epilogue to the story of Hamburg and phosphorus. The use of white phosphorus in the firebombing of Hamburg in 1943 was estimated to have killed between 50 000–100 000 men, women and children.

Q3.

a) Calculate the number of moles of phosphorus atoms in a 14 kg bomb.

b) Write a balanced equation for the complete combustion






Terms of Use   ©Copyright 2024 Follett School Solutions