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Using materials
This chemistry-only topic links material composition, structure and properties to practical uses and durability.
34
Objectives
170
Flashcards
170
Questions
90 min
Study time
AQAGCSEChemistryUsing resources
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34 objective pages available
Corrosion and its prevention10 objectives
- Define corrosion as the destruction of materials by chemical reactions with substances in the environment. (Chemistry only)
- Describe rusting as corrosion of iron. (Chemistry only)
- Explain that both air and water are needed for iron to rust. (Chemistry only)
- Describe experiments that show both air and water are necessary for rusting. (Chemistry only; WS 2.2, 7, 3.5)
- Interpret results from rusting experiments. (Chemistry only)
- Explain how barrier coatings such as grease, paint and electroplating prevent corrosion. (Chemistry only)
- Explain why aluminium resists further corrosion because of its oxide coating. (Chemistry only)
- Explain sacrificial protection in terms of a more reactive metal corroding instead of iron. (Chemistry only)
- Describe galvanising as using zinc to protect iron. (Chemistry only)
- Distinguish barrier protection from sacrificial protection. (Chemistry only)
Alloys as useful materials12 objectives
- Explain that most metals used in everyday life are alloys. (Chemistry only)
- Recall bronze as an alloy of copper and tin. (Chemistry only)
- Recall brass as an alloy of copper and zinc. (Chemistry only)
- Describe gold jewellery as usually containing gold alloyed with metals such as silver, copper or zinc. (Chemistry only)
- Explain carat as a measure of the proportion of gold in an alloy. (Chemistry only; MS 1a, 1c)
- Recall that steels are alloys of iron containing carbon and sometimes other metals. (Chemistry only)
- Compare high carbon steel and low carbon steel in terms of strength, brittleness and shaping. (Chemistry only)
- Describe stainless steel as containing chromium and nickel and being hard and corrosion resistant. (Chemistry only)
- Describe aluminium alloys as low density materials. (Chemistry only)
- Recall a use for bronze, brass, gold alloys, steels, stainless steels and aluminium alloys. (Chemistry only)
- Interpret alloy composition and evaluate uses of alloys from given information. (Chemistry only; MS 1a, 1c)
- Distinguish a pure metal from an alloy in terms of composition.
Ceramics, polymers and composites12 objectives
- Describe soda-lime glass as made by heating sand, sodium carbonate and limestone. (Chemistry only)
- Describe borosilicate glass as made from sand and boron trioxide and having a higher melting temperature than soda-lime glass. (Chemistry only)
- Describe clay ceramics such as pottery and bricks as made by shaping wet clay and heating it in a furnace. (Chemistry only)
- Explain that polymer properties depend on the monomers and the conditions used to make them. (Chemistry only)
- Explain how low density and high density poly(ethene) can both be produced from ethene under different conditions. (Chemistry only)
- Distinguish thermosoftening polymers from thermosetting polymers in terms of behaviour when heated. (Chemistry only)
- Explain the difference between thermosoftening and thermosetting polymers in terms of structure. (Chemistry only)
- Describe a composite as a matrix or binder surrounding reinforcement fibres or fragments. (Chemistry only)
- Recall examples of composite materials. (Chemistry only)
- Compare physical properties of glass, clay ceramics, polymers, composites and metals using information provided. (Chemistry only; WS 1.4, 3.5, 3.8)
- Explain how material properties are related to uses and select suitable materials from given information. (Chemistry only)
- Compare thermosetting and thermosoftening polymers experimentally or from data. (Chemistry only; WS 1.4, 3.5, 3.8)
Key terms
corrosioniron corrosionrustingexperimentsbarrier coatingelectroplatingaluminium oxide coatingcorrosion resistancesacrificial protectionreactive metalGalvanisingCorrosion
Exam tips
- Understand Corrosion: Define corrosion clearly as the destruction of materials due to chemical reactions with environmental substances. Use examples like rusting of iron to illustrate your point.
- Understand Rusting: Clearly describe the process of rusting as the corrosion of iron, emphasizing the role of oxygen and water.
Common mistakes
- Misunderstanding Corrosion: Emphasize that corrosion is the destruction of materials by chemical reactions with substances in the environment, not limited to just iron or rusting.
- Misunderstanding Rusting: Emphasize that rusting specifically refers to the corrosion of iron.
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