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Northern IrelandChemistry

Unit 2 Further Chemical Reactions, Rates and Equilibrium, Calculations and Organic Chemistry

6 dot points across 6 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How are alkenes turned into plastics, and what are the disposal issues?

Addition polymerisation of alkenes to form polymers, drawing the repeating unit, naming common addition polymers and their uses, and the problems of plastic disposal.
A CCEA GCSE Chemistry answer on addition polymers, covering how alkene monomers join to form polymers, how to draw the repeating unit from a monomer, common addition polymers such as poly(ethene) and their uses, and the environmental problems of disposing of plastics.
9 min answer →

What are alcohols, how are they made, and what are they used for?

Alcohols as a homologous series with the OH functional group, the production of ethanol by fermentation and by hydration of ethene, and the uses and combustion of alcohols.
A CCEA GCSE Chemistry answer on alcohols, covering the OH functional group and the alcohol homologous series, the two ways of making ethanol (fermentation and the hydration of ethene), the combustion of alcohols, and their uses as fuels, solvents and drinks.
9 min answer →

What are alkanes and alkenes, and why do we crack hydrocarbons?

Alkanes and alkenes as saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons, their general formulae and combustion, the bromine water test for unsaturation, and cracking.
A CCEA GCSE Chemistry answer on alkanes and alkenes, covering saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons and their general formulae, complete and incomplete combustion, the bromine water test for the carbon-carbon double bond, and the cracking of long-chain hydrocarbons.
9 min answer →

How do we calculate concentration, titration results and percentage yield?

Concentration in g per dm cubed and mol per dm cubed, using titration results to find an unknown concentration, and calculating percentage yield.
A CCEA GCSE Chemistry answer on further calculations, covering concentration in g per dm cubed and mol per dm cubed, how to use titration results and a balanced equation to find an unknown concentration, and how to calculate percentage yield.
9 min answer →

What is crude oil, and how is it separated into useful fractions?

Crude oil as a mixture of hydrocarbons, its separation by fractional distillation into fractions, and how the properties of fractions change with chain length.
A CCEA GCSE Chemistry answer on crude oil, covering it as a mixture of hydrocarbons, how fractional distillation separates it into fractions by boiling point, the main fractions and their uses, and how viscosity, boiling point and flammability change with chain length.
9 min answer →

What is the atmosphere made of, and how does burning fuels pollute it?

The composition of the atmosphere, the pollutants from burning fuels (carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, particulates), and the greenhouse effect and global warming.
A CCEA GCSE Chemistry answer on the atmosphere and pollution, covering the composition of the air, the pollutants released when fuels burn (carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen and particulates) and their effects, and the greenhouse effect and global warming.
9 min answer →