ELEMENTS OF CONSTRUCT FOR PAPER ONE 545/1

1ST ELEMENT OF CONSTRUCT.

The learner appreciates contribution of chemistry our economy

This asses a student’s ability to recognize and articulate the economic impact of chemical
industries and products.
The student should not only know the processes of production in industries but also the
economic significance and its impact on the environment

Key areas of assessment

1. Raw materials
2. Process of production
3. Side effects of the process of production
4. Mitigations to the side effects
5. Benefits of the process

Activity
Item 1.
Air which is a mixture of different components contains 21% oxygen. Due to a wide spread
of respiratory illnesses caused by COVID-19, there was an increased demand for oxygen by
patients in hospitals. The government supply of oxygen is not enough and is planning to set
up an oxygen production plant with minimal environmental impact. However, the science
club members in your school would like to know how the process of production will be
carried out.

Task: As chemistry student, make a write up you will use during the presentation.

Solution

Large scale manufacture of oxygen from air

Raw materials
Air
Steps followed in the production process.
Air is trapped from the atmosphere and fed into the tanks.
The trapped air is then passed through air filters to remove dust particles
The filtered air is passed over the adsorbent beads to remove the water vapor, carbon
dioxide and pollutants. These are removed first as they can solidify easily and block the
pipes during the process
Carbon dioxide is removed by sodium hydroxide in the one of the beds.

2NaOH(s) + CO2(g) Na2CO3(aq) + H2O(l)

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The water vapor is removed by cooling the air, water vapor condenses to liquid water. The
liquid water is removed by silicon dioxide (silica gel) in one of the beds.
The pollutants are then removed in the next beds.
At this stage air is compressed by forcing it through a small jet at high pressure of about
200atm, the air in the jet becomes very hot. It then expands and becomes cold as in enters a
large tank at the end of the small jet.

The process of cooling the air is repeated multiple times until it turns into the liquid at a
temperature of -2000C.

The liquid air is the directed in the fractionating column for it to be distilled into different
fractions.

Oxygen in the tower is collected at -1830C , and stored into cylinders for use

The cylinders can be transported to hospitals for use by the patients

The production process has some side effects to the environment though they can be
mitigated and they include the following.

Noise pollution from the compressors which might cause damage of the ears, this can be
minimized by use of personal protective equipment such as those that cover the ears

Air pollution by release of waste gases in the atmosphere, this can be mitigated by installing
catalytic converters on waste gas chimneys as converters shall convert harmful gases into
less harmful ones.

Too much exposure to oxygen may lead to skin and eye irritations, this can be mitigated by
informing all workers to wear personal protective equipment covering their eyes and the
whole body

The production process also has some benefits to the environment which include the
following.

Oxygen is essential in healthcare for respiratory support and surgical procedures

Oxygen is used in metal processing, and welding

The plant brings employment opportunities leading to improved income thus better
standards of living.

The leads to development of infrastructure such as electricity lines, roads, hospitals schools
among others. Improved road network will facilitate trade hence improved income and
better standards of living

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Item 2
1. Kasengejje citizens are having a complaint about the water they use for washing as it
wastes soap and still leaves the clothes with dirty marks. So, they need the
government to help them provide clean water sources yet it has just dug boreholes for
them. Now government water engineers have advised it to set up an industry
manufacturing washing soda (sodium carbonate) as it shall help solve the problem of
the members of the area.
Now the government has decided to set up the industry to manufacture the washing
soda in the village though it wants to know how the production process shall be
without severe damage of the environment as this shall help it make proper planning.

Task
As a chemistry student:
Make a write up you can use to help the government.

Solution

Large scale production of washing soda

Raw materials
Brine
Water
Ammonia gas
Calcium carbonate

The production process involves the following steps;

Very concentrated brine (28% sodium chloride) is saturated with ammonia gas in a
tower to form ammoniacal brine.
The ammoniacal brine is run downwards from the top of the tower while carbon
dioxide formed from decomposition of calcium carbonate, is forced to rise up the
tower from the base of the tower.
The tower is fitted with perforated mushroom shaped baffles at intervals that delay
the flow of ammoniacal brine and also offer surface for the reaction
The ammoniacal brine reacts with carbon dioxide to form sodium hydrogen
carbonate as precipitates since it is not very soluble in water. Precipitation is assisted
by cooling the lowest third of the chamber.

NaCl(aq) + NH4OH(g) + CO2(g) NaHCO3(s) + NH4Cl(aq)

Sodium hydrogen carbonate is filtered from the white sludge at the base of the tower
and washed to remove ammonium compounds. The sodium hydrogen carbonate is
then heated to form sodium carbonate
2NaHCO3(s) Na2CO3(s) +CO2(g) + H2O(l)

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 The anhydrous solid is dissolved in hot water, crystallization takes place as the
solution cools. The crystals are hydrated sodium hydrogen carbonate (washing soda)
are removed and allowed to dry.

Na2CO3(g) + H2O(l) Na2CO3.10H2O(s)

The production process has some side effects to the environment though they can be
mitigated and they include the following.

Washing soda production can release harmful chemicals and heavy metals into the
environment, this can be solved by implementing environmentally friendly manufacturing
processes, use waste water treatment plants and conduct regular environmental impact
assessments.

Exposure to washing soda can cause skin and eye irritation, respiratory problems, and other
health risks, this can be mitigated by providing proper safety measures, provide personal
protective equipment’s to workers, and conduct regular health checks

Washing soda production can lead to contamination of nearby water sources and air, this
can be solved by implementing waste water management, ensuring proper disposal of
chemical byproducts, and conduct regular air and water quality monitoring

Washing soda production requires large amounts of energy and raw materials which leads
to resource depletion, this can be mitigated by implementing energy efficient manufacturing
processes, use of renewable energy and employ sustainable resource management practices
among others

The production process has some benefits to the environment and they include the
following;

Washing soda production provides employment opportunities for many people

Washing soda is used to produce soap, detergents, and other cleaning products, which help
maintain personal and public hygiene

Washing soda is used in water treatment processes, ensuring access to clean drinking water
for communities

Washing soda can also be used in food processing and preservation, contributing to food
security

Washing soda industry contributes to national economy through revenue generation and tax
payments

Washing soda can be exported to various countries, generating foreign exchange earnings

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It leads to infrastructural development such as transportation networks and energy supply
systems

It can also contribute to environmental sustainability through water treatment and pollution
control applications.

General effects and solutions and benefits of industrial production processes

Effects:
Environmental pollution (air, water, soil)
Healthy risks (work safety, community exposure)
Resource depletion
Waste generation
Climate change and its effects

Solutions
Implement sustainable practices (reduce, reuse, recycle)
Conduct regular environ mental impact assessments
Implement waste management and reduction programs
Promote energy efficiency use of renewable energy sources
Ensure worker safety and community engagements
Implement pollution control measures

Social benefits
Job creation and employment opportunities
Improved public health (access to clean water, sanitation, healthcare)
Education and skills development (worker training, community progress)
Community development (infrastructure, social services)
Increased standards of living (higher income)

Economic benefits
Economic growth (revenue generation)
Foreign exchange earnings(exports)
Infrastructural development (transportation, energy, water)
Innovation and competitiveness
Increased productivity
Economic diversification (reduced dependence on single industries)

2ND ELEMENT OF CONSTRUCT ACTIVITY

Appreciates application of chemistry in daily life

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This asses student understanding of how chemical principals or processes are applied in
daily life situations
You may be required to;
1. provide examples of chemical reaction or products
2. functions of the products or processes
3. explain the chemistry behind them and how they improve life (importance of
chemical reactions and products)
4. dangers of the chemical reactions and products
5. solutions to the dangers
6. evaluation of the product
Examples of where chemical processes are applied in everyday life (chemistry and society)
1. The working of batteries
2. Hard water soft water
3. Water purification
4. RUSTING
5. Nuclear processes

Examples of products:
1. Food additives like preservatives, baking powder
2. Drugs and medicines
3. Detergents

Activity

Item1
Onyera, living in an area where they use bore hole water, slid, fell and his white shirt
became dirty. He decided to use a detergent to clean his shirt. The shirt remained
with some brown spots yet he had rinsed it several times.
Task
As a chemistry learner;
(a) point out the problem Onyera made when choosing a product.
(b) help Onyera understand how the product works
(c) advice Onyera on the challenges associated with the long-term use of the product.

Solution
Item 1
a) Onyera used soap to wash or used a soapy detergent.

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 b) The product works by lowering the surface tension of water enabling it
to spread and wet the material to clean more effectively. This facilitates
breaking and dispersing of the grease(dirt) particles.

Soap molecule has two parts, the hydrophilic head (water loving) that
is soluble (dissolves) in water and the hydrophobic tail (dirt loving) that is
insoluble in water (it dissolves the oil/fat/grease). Dirt on a cloth is held
by an oil film.
During washing, the soap molecules spread in water lowering the
surface tension of water, the water penetrates the cloth (wetting) allowing
soap molecules to reach the dirt particles in the cloth.
The hydrophobic tail (dirt loving part) surrounds the dirt particles
forming micelles isolating the dirt particles from the cloth while the
hydrophilic head (water loving) remains suspended in water, making the
micelles soluble in water(emulsification). This disperses the dirt particles
in water, creating an emulsion.
Due to repeated agitation, the micelles disperse into water leaving the
cloth free from dirt. Agitation also breaks down larger dirt particles into
smaller ones which are then surrounded by new soap molecules.
The cloth is then rinsed with clean water several times to remove the
micelles from the cloth surface making it clean.

Bore hole water he is using is permanent hard water containing Mg 2+

and Ca2+ dissolved in it since it passes through rocks underground.
So, when soap a sodium stearate salt is added to water containing such
ions during washing, the soap reacts with Mg2+ and Ca2+ forming the
brown substance that remain in your cloth called scum.

Mg2+(aq) + St-(aq) MgSt2(s)

This makes soap ineffective during washing hence leaving your cloth
with brown spots on it even with several rinsing in clean water.
So Onyera should use a soap less detergent or a chemical like
washing soda to remove the hardness in water. This shall enable him wash
his clothes and they remain with no brown spots

c) Soap contains chemicals that can cause skin burns and irritation and
hence pain or cancer.
Eye redness and pain; hence loss of vision.
All the above effects can be prevented by thoroughly washing the affected
areas like skin or eyes with fresh clean water.
Some soap less detergents
Soap less detergents contain phosphates which cause algae bloom/alagal
bloom and hence water pollution.

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 3RD ELEMENT OF CONSTRUCT.

The learner appreciates diversity and interactions of substances and

their importance in life.

Key areas of assessment

1. Category of element, compound, substance or material with a reason

(artificial or natural),(metal or non-metal) etc.
2. Properties or prediction of properties of element, compound, substance
or material
3. Uses of element compound, substance or material
4. Impact of the element, compound, substance on the environment
5. Mitigations to the impacts

Activity

Item 1
Mr. John an investor in your village wants to construct a storied(flat) business
house in the trading center, the contracted engineer has asked you to help him
while choosing the materials he is to use to construct Mr. John’s building.

Task:
As a student of chemistry;
(a) help the engineer to choose five materials that should not miss on his list.
(b) why do you think the materials in (a) should not miss on his list?
(c) Advise the engineer on the choice of the materials

Solution

(a) Essential Materials:

Concrete, for the foundation, floors, and structural support.
Steel, for reinforcement in concrete and structural framework.
Bricks or Blocks, for walls and partitions.
Glass, for windows and potential façade elements.
Wood, for doors, frames, and interior finishing.

(b) Reasons why the above materials should not miss on the list
Concrete, is strong in compression, making it ideal for supporting the weight
of the building. It's also fire-resistant and has good thermal mass.
Steel, has high tensile strength, which is necessary for withstanding forces like
tension and shear. It also adds ductility to the structure, allowing it to flex
under heavy loads.

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 Bricks or Blocks, provide good insulation, are durable, and have a high load-
bearing capacity, which is crucial for the walls of a multi-storied building.
Glass, allows natural light to enter, reducing lighting costs, and can be treated
for energy efficiency and aesthetics.
Wood, offers a combination of strength and aesthetics for non-structural
elements and can be easily worked with for custom designs.

(c) Advice
(Choice of the material depends on many factors but in this case you shall
focus on the use and sustainability of the material (environmental friendly))

Activity

Item
While investigating the reaction of period 3 elements with water, Juma first
considered two elements A and B and the results of their reactions with water
is summarized in the table below.

Element Observation
A Reacted violently while floating on surface of cold water
forming an alkaline solution with evolution of hydrogen gas.
B Reacted slowly with cold water forming an alkaline solution
and hydrogen gas but when heated with steam formed a white
solid and hydrogen gas

Task:
As a chemistry learner:
(a) Give the category of elements A and B
(b) Predict the reaction of other elements in period 3 with water
(c) Advise Juma about the dangers associated with the reaction of these
elements with water.

Solution

(a) Category of elements A and B

Element A is an alkali metal, because it reacts violently with water, floats on the surface,
forms an alkaline solution, and evolves hydrogen gas. This behavior is characteristic of
alkali metals like sodium (Na) or potassium (K).

Element B is an alkaline earth metal, because it reacts slowly with water to form an
alkaline solution and hydrogen gas, and when heated with steam, it forms a white solid.

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This is typical of alkaline earth metals like magnesium (Mg) or calcium (Ca), which form
oxides or hydroxides.

(b) Reaction of other elements in period 3 with water

Elements in period 3 of the periodic table include; Sodium (Na), Magnesium (Mg),
Aluminum (Al), Silicon (Si), Phosphorus (P), Sulfur (S), Chlorine (Cl), and Argon (Ar).

Sodium (Na) would react similarly to Element A, violently with water forming an alkaline
solution with evolution of hydrogen gas.

2Na(s) + 2H2O(l) 2NaOH(aq) + H2(g)

Magnesium (Mg) would react similarly to Element B, slowly with water and more
vigorously with steam.

With cold water: Mg(s) + 2H2O(l) Mg(OH)2(aq) + H2(g)

With steam: Mg(s) + H2O(l) MgO(aq) + H2(g)

Aluminium (Al) reacts with water only when it is finely powdered at high temperatures,
forming aluminium oxide and hydrogen gas.

2Al(s) + 3H2O(l) Al2O3(s) + 3H2

Phosphorus (P) and Sulfur (S) do not react with water

Chlorine (Cl) do not react with water, but chlorine dissolves is water forming (chlorine
water) a mixture of hypochlorous (chloric acid) acid and hydrochloric acid

Cl2(g) + H2O(l) HOCl(aq) + HCl(aq)

Silicon does not react with water under normal conditions but reacts with steam to form
silicon (IV) oxide and hydrogen

Si(s) + H2O(l) SiO2(s) +H2(g)

Argon (Ar) is a noble gas and does not react with water.

(c) Advising Juma about the dangers associated with these reactions:

Juma should be aware that reactions of metals with water can be highly exothermic,
meaning they release a significant amount of heat so they can be explosive

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The evolution of hydrogen gas can be dangerous as it is highly flammable and can lead to
explosions if ignited.

Juma should conduct these experiments in a well-ventilated area and use proper
safety equipment, such as gloves and goggles, to protect from splashes and the heat
generated during the reactions.

It's also important to have a fire extinguisher nearby and to work under the supervision of a
knowledgeable instructor.

4th ELEMENT OF CONSTRUCT

The learner appreciates the existence of natural resources in the environment and their
importance in everyday life:

Students are assessed on their ability to identify natural resources in the environment, their
importance, and how they can be conserved or be used sustainably

Key areas of assessment

1. Category of natural resources (renewable or non-renewable), reason and example
2. Composition of natural resources
3. Impact of natural resources on the environment, how it occurs and solutions
4. Impact of human activities on natural resources and mitigations
5. Benefits of natural resources

Activity
Item

Osukuru village in Tororo district is at the foot of Tororo rock. People of this village for a
long time have practiced charcoal burning, animal husbandry, crop husbandry and stone
quarrying, recently the animals have started dying and wells are drying up yet the little
water available is not fresh. The locals are now wondering why all these are happening. A
sensitization workshop is to be organized to explain the existing situation in the village. The
theme of the work shop is MY ENVIRONMENT MY RESPONSIBILITY.

Task:
As chemistry student, write a massage you will deliver upon invitation

Solution

MY ENVIRONMENT MY RESPONSIBILITY.

Greetings to every member of the village, our village, Osukuru has a various natural
resource which can be categorized as renewable resources and non-renewable resources.

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 Renewable resources are resources that we use and are easily replenished easily, they do
not get used up. Examples of renewable resources include, water, air, forests among others.
Non renewable resources are resources that are not replenished easily ounce they are
used up; they take millions of years to be formed. Examples of non-renewable resources
include fossil fuels and rocks
All renewable and non-renewable resources have different compositions for example;
Air is a mixture of gasses found in the atmosphere, it’s made up of nitrogen, oxygen,
carbon dioxide dust, rare gases like argon and pollutants like carbon monoxide, Sulphur
dioxide among others.
Water is made up of hydrogen and oxygen.
Forests consist different plant species and, in their structure, they are also made up of
carbon, hydrogen and oxygen like their cellulose cell walls.
The fossil fuels are formed from decomposition of animal and plant remains like coal
and petroleum, they are also made up of hydrogen, and carbon.
The rocks are aggregates of minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium among others

Recently, your animals have started dying, wells are drying and the available water is not
safe for use.
All that must have resulted from the activities you do carry out irresponsibly in this
village which include, charcoal burning, animal husbandry, crop husbandry and stone
quarrying.
These activities impact negatively on natural resources for example charcoal burning
involves cutting down of trees which is deforestation leading to shortage of grazing grounds
for all animals and loss of habitat for wild animals. It also leads to increased amount of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which contributes to climate change and global warming
hence the wells dry up due to increased temperatures.
Stone quarrying involves breaking of rocks into small stones and gravel for
construction purposes. This disrupts the underground water cycle and sources hence
reduced water quality make the water in the village unsafe for use, air pollution from dust,
destruction of vegetation cover reducing the grazing grounds for the animals causing their
death.
Farming, crop and animal husbandry, involves the use of fertilizers and manure
which pollutes water bodies and makes the water unsafe for use. Fertilizers also cause
eutrophication in water bodies leading to growth of algae on water bodies, this
contaminates the water and also kills aquatic animals.

All the above impacts caused by our activities have mitigations to help us conserve our
resources because they are so important to us. The mitigations to avoid the above impacts
include the following;
Ensure sustainable fuel production using soft wood which is renewable through
planting more trees. The trees also help to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere thus preventing global warming that leads to climatic changes.
The planted trees also help in rain formation thereby filling the dried up water
sources.
The planted trees also restore the grazing grounds and habitats for animals, this
reduces on their death

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 Use charcoal briquettes made from waste organic materials like banana peelings and
cassava flour instead of using charcoal that requires cutting down of trees that are important
in keeping a fresh environment.
Strict government policies and laws to minimize stone quarrying. This reduces on
destruction of rock beds that are important in water purification hence having clean and safe
water in wells.
Filling up holes made during the process of quarrying, encourage population to use
alternative construction materials like tiles and clay bricks. This enables growth of
vegetation cover favoring rain formation and restoring grazing grounds for animals.
Sensitise farmers to use controlled doses of fertilisers and manure in gardens, this
helps to reduce the effects of water pollution in the village
People should ensure proper disposal of animal excreta and also convert it into other
useful products for example biogas, organic fertilisers and briquettes. This also reduces
effects of water pollution, hence clean water sources.
Farmers should be encouraged to use organic fertilizers in the gardens such as
compost manure

The natural resources in the village are very useful, that’s why we should conserve them
Air is used for respiration, during respiration carbohydrate combine with oxygen in
air to release energy and carbon dioxide used for proper body functioning.
Air facilitates photosynthesis, during photosynthesis carbon dioxide from air
combines with water in presence of sunlight trapped by chlorophyll to form glucose and
oxygen.
Fossil fuels are used as fuels, fossil fuels when burnt produce heat energy used to
run engines and machines, even for cooking

Criteria for attempting items correctly.

1. Read the scenario described more than ounce to ensure understanding

2. Identify the problem in the scenario because it’s the one you must address (solve in
your response) if the problem is not solved, know your response is lacking and you
may not get all the score
3. Always be precise, avoid using a lot of words to address the problem, science needs
only facts, so many words with not fact, no score shall be attained.
4. Ensure that you cater for all areas of assessment as required in each element of
construct most especially for section B items. For section A the areas might be
distributed in the different parts of the task, so take note on that in order not to
misplace or mis out in your responses
5. Always respond to the tasks as you are educating the examiner. So, mind the context
in which the item has been asked and respond accordingly to that.

STAY WELL

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