Note:

Chemistry of the Environment Notes Coordinated Sciences Chemistry / 2025/2026/2027 Exams

IGCSE Chemistry Coordinated Sciences [ Double Award] Students do not study the following from the notes:

• State that water from natural sources may contain substances, including: (a) dissolved oxygen (b) metal compounds (c) plastics (d) sewage (e) harmful microbes (f) nitrates from fertilisers (g) phosphates from fertilisers and detergents
• State that some of these substances are beneficial, including: (a) dissolved oxygen for aquatic life (b) some metal compounds provide essential minerals for life 
• State that some of these substances are potentially harmful, including: (a) some metal compounds are toxic (b) some plastics harm aquatic life (c) sewage contains harmful microbes which cause disease (d) nitrates and phosphates lead to deoxygenation of water and damage to aquatic life Details of the eutrophication process are not required.
• State the adverse effect of these air pollutants, limited to: (a) carbon dioxide: higher levels of carbon dioxide leading to increased global warming, which leads to climate change (b) carbon monoxide: toxic gas (c) particulates: increased risk of respiratory problems and cancer (d) methane: higher levels of methane leading to increased global warming, which leads to climate change (e) oxides of nitrogen: acid rain, photochemical smog and respiratory problems (f) sulfur dioxide: acid rain
• Describe how the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane cause global warming, limited to: (a) the absorption, reflection and emission of thermal energy (b) reducing thermal energy loss to space

Happy Learning,

Team,

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