This is Chapter 4 – Managing Resources for the Year 12 Chemistry course.

This final chapter brings together ideas from across Stage 2 Chemistry and applies them to major challenges involving energy, water, metals, soils and materials. Students will be expected to move beyond describing chemical processes and begin evaluating their efficiency, sustainability, economic value and broader consequences for society.

We begin with fuels and combustion. Students compare conventional carbon-based fuels with alternatives such as bioethanol, biodiesel and hydrogen while refining calculations involving enthalpy of combustion and calorimetry. They also examine incomplete combustion and evaluate the environmental and health effects of carbon monoxide and particulate pollution.

Electricity generation introduces steam turbines, photovoltaic systems, fuel cells and flow cells. Students develop their electrochemical reasoning by identifying electrodes, writing half-equations and tracing the movement of electrons and ions. Different methods of producing hydrogen are also compared to determine whether it can genuinely function as a cleaner energy source.

The extraction and refining of metals requires students to use the activity series to select appropriate chemical methods. Aluminium and zinc provide important examples of how reactivity, energy consumption and cost influence industrial decisions.

Water treatment includes flocculation, water softening, desalination and chemical disinfection. Students then explore soils and clays through the nitrogen cycle, silicate structures, cation exchange and the effects of salinity, acidity and excessive fertiliser use.

The chapter concludes with polymer chemistry. Students distinguish between addition and condensation polymers, relate molecular structure to material properties and compare the recyclability of thermoplastics, thermosets and composite materials. Together, these areas demonstrate how chemistry can contribute to practical solutions while also creating new environmental and ethical challenges.

Subtopics:

• A: Fuels and Combustion

• B: Electricity Generation (Turbines and Batteries)
• C: Materials - Metals
• D: Water
• E: Soils and Clays
• F: Materials – Polymers and Recycling

By the end of this topic, students will be able to apply chemical principles to evaluate energy systems, metals, water treatment, soils and polymers, and justify possible responses to real-world resource challenges.