using resources

• What is sustainable development?

  Development that meets current needs without compromising future needs
• How is potable water produced in the UK?

  By choosing a fresh water source and filtering
• What are the steps to produce potable water in the UK?

  • Choose an appropriate source of fresh water
  • Pass through filter beds to remove solids
  • Sterilize to kill microbes
• What are the sterilising agents for potable water?

  Chlorine, ozone, or ultraviolet light
• Why must chlorine levels in water be monitored?

  Because chlorine is a toxic gas
• What is the advantage of using ultraviolet light for sterilization?

  It avoids adding chemicals to the water
• How is desalination carried out?

  By distillation or reverse osmosis
• What is reverse osmosis?

  Passing seawater through a membrane under high pressure
• What is required to produce high pressure in reverse osmosis?

  A lot of energy is needed
• How is wastewater produced and treated?

  • Produced by urban lifestyles and industrial processes
  • Requires treatment before environmental release
  • Sewage and agricultural wastewater need organic matter removal
  • Industrial wastewater may need harmful chemical removal
• What are the processes involved in sewage treatment?

  1. Screening and grit removal
  2. Sedimentation to produce sewage sludge and effluent
  3. Anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge
  4. Aerobic biological treatment of effluent
• What do new mining methods avoid compared to traditional methods?

  Avoid digging and disposing of large rock amounts
• What is phytomining?

  Using plants to absorb metal compounds from soil
• What happens to plants in phytomining after absorption?

  They are harvested and burned to produce ash
• What is bioleaching?

  Using bacteria to produce leachate solutions with metals
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of phytomining and bioleaching?

  Advantages:

  • Less energy needed than traditional methods
  • Can work on low concentration ores

  
  

  Disadvantages:

  • Slow to carry out
• What are the stages of Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs)?

  1. Extracting and processing raw materials
  2. Manufacturing and packaging
  3. Use and operation during its lifetime
  4. Disposal at the end of its useful life
  5. Transport and distribution at each stage
• How can we reduce the use of resources?

  By reducing, reusing, and recycling materials
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of recycling?

  Advantages:

  • Less acid rain and pollution
  • Metal ore reserves last longer
  • Conserved energy for extraction
  • Less mining and quarrying
  • Less waste and landfill
  • Creates local employment

  
  

  Disadvantages:

  • Collection and transport problems
  • Cost of transport
  • Difficulty separating metals from appliances
• What is corrosion?

  Destruction of materials by chemical reactions
• How can corrosion be prevented?

  By applying a barrier coating like paint
• What is sacrificial protection?

  Using a more reactive metal to corrode instead
• How does sacrificial protection work?

  Zinc galvanizes iron by corroding first
• What is bronze and its use?

  • Bronze: an alloy of copper and tin
  • Used for making statues and decorative objects
• What is brass and its use?

  • Brass: an alloy of copper and zinc
  • Used for producing water taps
• What is the purpose of electroplating?

  To prevent air or water contact with metal
• What is sacrificial protection?

  Using a more reactive metal to prevent corrosion
• Why is zinc used to galvanize iron?

  Zinc is more reactive than iron
• What are the main components of bronze and brass?

  • Bronze: Copper and tin
  • Brass: Copper and zinc
• What is the use of gold in jewelry?

  Gold is usually an alloy with other metals
• How is the purity of gold measured?

  In carats, with pure gold as 24 carat
• What are aluminium-magnesium alloys used for?

  They are used in aerospace manufacturing
• What are the properties of high carbon and low carbon steel?

  • High carbon steel: Strong but brittle
  • Low carbon steel: Softer and easily shaped
• What is the difference between thermosoftening and thermosetting polymers?

  Thermosoftening can be remoulded; thermosetting cannot
• How are the properties of polymers determined?

  By the monomers used and production conditions
• What is soda-lime glass made from?

  A mixture of sand, sodium carbonate, and limestone
• What is borosilicate glass known for?

  It melts at higher temperatures than soda-lime glass
• How are clay ceramics made?

  By shaping wet clay and heating in a furnace
• How are composites formed?

  By surrounding fibers with a binder material
• What is the main use of fibreglass?

  For making storage tanks