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lewis beet
03/12/2025
Chemistry
chemistry - c10 (resources and water)
146
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3 Dec 2025
•
Understanding Chemistry: Resources and Water in C10
lewis beet
@lewisbeet
1 / 4
Earth's Resources and Water Treatment
Finite resources like coal, oil, and gas have limited supplies that will eventually run out. Crude oil gets processed through fractional distillation and cracking to make useful products like petrol, diesel, and kerosene that power our cars and planes.
Renewable resources such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power won't run out anytime soon because they're constantly replenished by nature. These are becoming increasingly important as we move away from fossil fuels.
Potable water is safe to drink but isn't pure - it still contains dissolved minerals. The key is keeping microbe and salt levels low enough to avoid harming humans. Fresh water treatment involves filtering out particles through filter beds and killing microbes using chlorine, ozone, or UV light.
Quick Tip: Remember that potable doesn't mean pure - even tap water contains dissolved substances, just at safe levels!
Seawater Treatment and Life Cycles
Converting seawater into drinking water requires desalination, which needs massive amounts of energy. Distillation heats seawater until it evaporates, leaving salt behind as the water vapour condenses into clean water.
Reverse osmosis forces seawater through special membranes under high pressure. These membranes have tiny holes that only let water molecules pass through, blocking the salt.
Both methods create salty wastewater that's difficult to dispose of sustainably. The expensive membranes and high energy costs make seawater treatment much more challenging than treating fresh water.
Life cycle assessment examines a product's environmental impact through four stages: extracting raw materials, manufacturing and packaging, using the product, and final disposal.
Real World Connection: Countries like Saudi Arabia rely heavily on desalination plants because they have limited freshwater sources but abundant seawater and energy resources.
Wastewater Treatment and Recycling
Wastewater comes from homes, industries, and farms, each carrying different pollutants. Domestic waste contains harmful bacteria and nitrogen compounds, whilst industrial waste often includes toxic metals and agricultural chemicals that damage ecosystems.
Sewage cleaning happens in three steps. Screening removes large objects first. Then sedimentation allows heavy solids to sink and form sludge whilst lighter materials float as effluent.
The effluent undergoes aerobic digestion to make it safe for release back into rivers. Meanwhile, the sludge gets anaerobic digestion treatment, producing useful fertiliser and methane gas for fuel.
Recycling reduces the need for mining and quarrying, cuts down on expensive oil extraction processes, and decreases landfill waste. It also produces fewer greenhouse gases since recycling typically requires less energy than making new products.
Environmental Impact: Recycling one tonne of paper saves approximately 17 trees and uses 50% less energy than making new paper!
Biological Metal Extraction
Traditional copper mining scars the landscape, but biological extraction methods offer gentler alternatives. Though slower, these methods reduce environmental damage from large-scale mining operations.
Phytomining uses plants that naturally absorb metal compounds from soil. After harvesting and drying these plants, they're burned in furnaces to create ash rich in metal compounds.
The ash gets dissolved in acids like hydrochloric or sulfuric acid. Copper can then be extracted through electrolysis or displacement reactions using iron, since iron is more reactive and cost-effective.
Bioleaching employs bacteria to create acidic solutions called leachate containing copper ions. However, this process produces toxic substances that can harm the environment, requiring careful management.
Smart Science: Iron displaces copper because it's higher in the reactivity series - this makes it a cheaper alternative to electrolysis for copper extraction!
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This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
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Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
Understanding Chemistry: Resources and Water in C10
lewis beet
@lewisbeet
Ever wonder where your phone's materials come from or how dirty water becomes clean enough to drink? This unit covers how we extract, use, and manage Earth's resources - from processing crude oil into petrol to turning seawater into drinking... Show more
Earth's Resources and Water Treatment
Finite resources like coal, oil, and gas have limited supplies that will eventually run out. Crude oil gets processed through fractional distillation and cracking to make useful products like petrol, diesel, and kerosene that power our cars and planes.
Renewable resources such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power won't run out anytime soon because they're constantly replenished by nature. These are becoming increasingly important as we move away from fossil fuels.
Potable water is safe to drink but isn't pure - it still contains dissolved minerals. The key is keeping microbe and salt levels low enough to avoid harming humans. Fresh water treatment involves filtering out particles through filter beds and killing microbes using chlorine, ozone, or UV light.
Quick Tip: Remember that potable doesn't mean pure - even tap water contains dissolved substances, just at safe levels!
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Seawater Treatment and Life Cycles
Converting seawater into drinking water requires desalination, which needs massive amounts of energy. Distillation heats seawater until it evaporates, leaving salt behind as the water vapour condenses into clean water.
Reverse osmosis forces seawater through special membranes under high pressure. These membranes have tiny holes that only let water molecules pass through, blocking the salt.
Both methods create salty wastewater that's difficult to dispose of sustainably. The expensive membranes and high energy costs make seawater treatment much more challenging than treating fresh water.
Life cycle assessment examines a product's environmental impact through four stages: extracting raw materials, manufacturing and packaging, using the product, and final disposal.
Real World Connection: Countries like Saudi Arabia rely heavily on desalination plants because they have limited freshwater sources but abundant seawater and energy resources.
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Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Wastewater Treatment and Recycling
Wastewater comes from homes, industries, and farms, each carrying different pollutants. Domestic waste contains harmful bacteria and nitrogen compounds, whilst industrial waste often includes toxic metals and agricultural chemicals that damage ecosystems.
Sewage cleaning happens in three steps. Screening removes large objects first. Then sedimentation allows heavy solids to sink and form sludge whilst lighter materials float as effluent.
The effluent undergoes aerobic digestion to make it safe for release back into rivers. Meanwhile, the sludge gets anaerobic digestion treatment, producing useful fertiliser and methane gas for fuel.
Recycling reduces the need for mining and quarrying, cuts down on expensive oil extraction processes, and decreases landfill waste. It also produces fewer greenhouse gases since recycling typically requires less energy than making new products.
Environmental Impact: Recycling one tonne of paper saves approximately 17 trees and uses 50% less energy than making new paper!
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Improve your grades
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Biological Metal Extraction
Traditional copper mining scars the landscape, but biological extraction methods offer gentler alternatives. Though slower, these methods reduce environmental damage from large-scale mining operations.
Phytomining uses plants that naturally absorb metal compounds from soil. After harvesting and drying these plants, they're burned in furnaces to create ash rich in metal compounds.
The ash gets dissolved in acids like hydrochloric or sulfuric acid. Copper can then be extracted through electrolysis or displacement reactions using iron, since iron is more reactive and cost-effective.
Bioleaching employs bacteria to create acidic solutions called leachate containing copper ions. However, this process produces toxic substances that can harm the environment, requiring careful management.
Smart Science: Iron displaces copper because it's higher in the reactivity series - this makes it a cheaper alternative to electrolysis for copper extraction!
We thought you’d never ask...
What is the Knowunity AI companion?
Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.
Where can I download the Knowunity app?
You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Is Knowunity really free of charge?
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Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.
Students love us — and so will you.
4.9/5
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4.8/5
Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user