Cambridge
TECHNICALS
OCR LEVEL 2
CAMBRIDGE TECHNICAL
CERTIFICATE/DIPLOMA IN
SCIENCE
CHEMISTRY OF PRODUCTION
D/505/3209
LEVEL 2 UNIT 10
GUIDED LEARNING HOURS: 60
UNIT CREDIT VALUE: 10
CHEMISTRY OF PRODUCTION
D/505/3209
LEVEL 2
AIM AND PURPOSE OF THE UNIT
The UK chemical industry has a turnover of over £57 billion
a year and employs nearly 200,000 people. It is one of the
country’s largest and safest manufacturing industries. By
the end of this unit learners will have an understanding of
some of the factors involved in producing chemicals on an
industrial scale to make all the materials that we rely on to
improve our everyday lives. They will be able to outline the
factors involved in siting a chemical plant and the choice
of process used. They will be able to use chemical ideas
to evaluate and explain the conditions used in a process.
Learners will understand the benefits and disadvantages of
a chemical plant on the local and national community and
be able to explain its impact on the environment. Learners
will know how health and safety plays an important role in
the operation of a chemical plant and in the transport of
chemicals.
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2
Chemistry of Production Level 2 Unit 10
ASSESSMENT AND GRADING CRITERIA
Learning Outcome (LO)
Pass
Merit
Distinction
The assessment criteria are
the pass requirements for
this unit.
To achieve a merit the
evidence must show that, in
addition to the pass criteria,
the learner is able to:
To achieve a distinction the
evidence must show that,
in addition to the pass and
merit criteria, the learner is
able to:
The learner will:
The learner can:
1 Be able to describe why
a chemical process and
its location are chosen.
P1 analyse a chemical
process to determine
how its products are
used
P2 describe the reasons for
the choices made in the
siting and conditions
for a specified chemical
process
M1 compare the
suitability of batch and
continuous processes
for a specified chemical
process
2 Be able to describe the
factors that govern
the rate and yield of a
chemical process.
P3 describe the different
factors that affect
the rate and yield of
a chemical process,
and explain why the
reaction conditions are
selected
M2 explain how the rate,
in terms of particle
collisions, and yield
of a chemical process
are changed under
different conditions
3 Know how waste
treatment methods can
be used to minimise
the environmental
impact of a chemical
process.
P4 describe how to
minimise the waste
materials that are
produced by a
specified chemical
process
4 Know how the chemical
industry maintains a
good safety record in
the manufacture and
transport of chemicals.
P5 outline how the
chemical industry
maintains a good
safety record in the
manufacture of
chemicals
D1 explain how the rate of
a reaction is changed
in terms of particle
collisions and activation
energy
D2 describe the science
behind waste
treatment procedures
M3 explain the
precautions taken in
the manufacture of
chemicals to maintain
a good safety record,
and link these to the
chemical properties of
a chosen chemical
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TEACHING CONTENT
The unit content describes what has to be taught to ensure that learners are able to access the highest grade.
Anything which follows an i.e. details what must be taught as part of that area of content.
Anything which follows an e.g. is illustrative, it should be noted that where e.g. is used, learners must know and be able to apply
relevant examples to their work though these do not need to be the same ones specified in the unit content.
Possible chemical processes to investigate may include the
Haber process and the production of chemical fertilisers, the
contact process, the electrolysis of brine and processes in the
oil, plastics, metals and pharmaceutical industries.
Learners should use collision theory and the idea of activation
energy to explain the above effects.
LO3 Know of some methods that can be used to minimise
the environmental impact of a chemical process.
LO1 Be able to describe why a chemical process and its
location are chosen.
Learners should examine a number of ways that emissions are
minimised:
• Reactants and products of the chosen chemical process –
including word and symbol equations
• gas scrubbing
• electrostatic precipitators
• Potential uses of the useful products and identification of
waste products
• use of reed beds and bacteria to remove organics from
water
• Consideration given to the conditions required for the
chemical reactions to take place
• temperature control of waste water
In addition, learners should have a basic understanding of the
science behind each process.
• The market for and uses of the products
• The availability and access to raw materials
LO4 Know how the chemical industry maintains a good
safety record of by outlining health and safety issues in
the manufacture and transport of chemicals. Research and
identify potential hazards in the manufacture of chemicals
• The energy requirements of a process
• Transport links
• Availability of specialist labour
• Availability of suitable land
• Outline precautions including safety clothing
• Making a product where there are two alternative
processes e.g. making ethanol by fermentation or by
hydration of ethane, or the alternative methods of making
titanium metal from its ore
• First aid on exposure
• Spillage and disposal routines
• Link the precautions to the chemical properties of a
chosen chemical
• Comparison of batch and continuous process
LO2 Be able to describe the factors that govern the rate and
yield of a chemical process.
How the following factors affect the rate and yield of a
chemical reaction:
• Concentration
• Temperature
• Pressure
• Surface area
• Catalysts
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4
Chemistry of Production Level 2 Unit 10
DELIVERY GUIDANCE
The unit can be delivered by a wide range of activities from
tutor input, practical activities to individual research by the
learner.
The factors that govern rates of reaction can be explored
through a series of practical activities e.g using acid/
thiosulfate to investigate concentration or temperature,
carbonate/acid to investigate concentration or surface area,
clock reactions, peroxide/manganese oxide to investigate
catalysis.
LO1 Be able to describe why a chemical process and its
location are chosen.
A site visit is an ideal way to start researching the chemical
industry but if not possible, websites and videos will provide
easily accessible content. The Chemical Industry Education
Centre produces a number of useful resources. A number of
contrasting processes should be examined with the focus
on the teaching content. Careful choice of an end product
can be traced back to a chemical process and the reasons for
location and method of manufacture can be examined e.g.
car body traced back to the steel works or a lemonade bottle
back to a PET plant.
There is the opportunity for data handling / graphing/
spreadsheet exercises examining how the yield of a process is
affected by changing the conditions.
An agreed process could be selected for the production of
the report that gives the potential to look at all of the factors
that affect rate e.g. Haber process, contact process. The
learner could also produce an experimental write up for one
of their investigations that includes method, results, analysis,
conclusion and evaluation.
The learner can consolidate and extend understanding
by carrying out the following activities based on a chosen
different process in the creation of a guide.
LO3 Know of some methods that can be used to minimise
the environmental impact of a chemical process.
A site visit or video resources would help to give context to
this section. Learners could research national statistics of
• Researching the location of the process.
the financial benefits of the chemical industry. Company
• Researching the products of the process.
websites often contain information on how links with local
• Outlining the process and investigating the reasons why communities are developed and maintained. Provide learners
with a questionnaire about living near the chemical industry,
that particular process is used.
which the whole group completes prior to completing this
• Calculating the atom economy and examining the
section of the unit. The questionnaire can then be repeated
sustainability of the process
after this section of the unit. This would then illustrate any
It is intended that as much as possible the activities are linked change in attitude and prompt discussions within the group.
A poll of local residents near a plant if possible would also be
to studies of a chemical processes that the learner has an
interest in. If possible selection of a process should be because informative.
of personal experience either through employment, works
The impact control section could be approached by return
experience, a site visit or links in the local area.
to some processes previously studied to look at possible
LO2 Be able to describe the factors that govern the rate and emissions problems and the researching how they are solved.
Learners could be given a set of emission problems to solve
yield of a chemical process.
and they would have to come up with a number of practical
This learning outcome can be introduced using tutor led
solutions.
discussion, a video clip or other stimulus material. The
economics of a chemical process could be explored with the
LO4 Know how the chemical industry maintains a good
use of role play and marketing exercise. An exercise such as
safety record of by outlining health and safety issues in the
an updated SATIS unit 105 would enable learners to explore
manufacture and transport of chemicals.
the economics of scale.
A visit to a haulage company (that deals with chemicals) or to
the fire service would be a possible starter for this section.
5
Learners can research hazard symbols, using CLEAPSS
hazcards or the internet, and match them to common
household chemicals or research the symbols found on
household chemicals.
Learners could discuss the hazards of some familiar chemicals
and the precautions that need to be taken when handling
them. This could then be linked to properties of the
chemicals. .
Returning to a previously studied process, what safety
equipment would be needed by the operatives? Learners
could use online catalogues of Health and Safety equipment
to estimate the annual equipment budget, a spreadsheet
could be constructed to allow predictions to be made about
future costs.
The hazchem code for chemical transport can be researched
and the meaning of each section and code can be collected.
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6
Chemistry of Production Level 2 Unit 10
SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT SCENARIOS AND GUIDANCE ON ASSESSMENT
Criteria
Assignment
Scenario
Assessment
LO1
Why are
chemical plants
sited in specific
locations?
The learner researches and
presents a guide to a chemical
process and the location of a
chemical plant already in
operation.
P1 Includes an analysis of a chemical process
which details the chemical reactions involved
(to include word and symbol equations), the
uses of its products, and how the products are
extracted, stored and prepared for sale.
The guide could be presented
as an illustrated booklet, a
PowerPoint presentation or as a
website.
P2 A description of the reasons for the choices
made in the siting and conditions for a specific
chemical process are specified.
The learner constructs a report to
the production manager of a
chemical process outlining all the
factors that could be changed to
improve the rate of reaction and
yield. The report will include for
each factor why the rate changes
and if it affects the yield.
P3 May be gained by a report that contains how
the rate of a reaction of a chosen chemical
process is affected by concentration,
temperature, pressure, surface area and a
catalyst. An appraisal of how the yield of the
process will be affected and an explanation of
why the reaction conditions are chosen.
LO2
How to
maximise rate
and yield in a
chemical plant.
M1 Will be gained by including a reasoned analysis
of why a specific chemical process is batch or
continuous leading to a comparison of the
suitability of the processes.
M2 May be gained by also including an explanation
of the effect of each variable using the idea of
particle collisions.
D1 Will be gained by including the idea of how the
collisions must have sufficient activation energy
for a successful reaction.
LO3
Chemical plant
exhibition
A company is moving its chemical
process onto a brown field site
next to a large town. The
process makes an important
pharmaceutical product but the
waste created includes warm
water containing organic
materials and dusty exhaust gases.
P4 Should include a description of the waste
materials produced by the chemical process
and how this is managed to minimise the
impact on the environment. The exhibition
presentation may be in any format e.g. poster
displays, models, web site, PowerPoint,
transcript and illustrations from a video, radio
programme script etc.
The learner is the consultant
employed to develop an
exhibition to explain the benefits
of the move to the local
community and how any
emissions from the process will be
controlled.
D2 Will be gained by describing the science behind
waste treatment processes.
7
Criteria
Assignment
Scenario
Assessment
LO4
Transporting
chemicals
As the health and safety officer
of a chemical manufacturing
company, produce
documentation for all staff
detailing how you ensure
the safe production and
transportation of a chosen
chemical.
P5 Learners outline how the chemical industry
maintains a good safety record in the
manufacture of chemicals
M3 Includes an explanation about the precautions
taken in the manufacture of chemicals to
maintain a good safety record. Includes an
example where the precautions are linked to
the chemical properties of a chosen chemical
P6 Learners outline the precautions needed for the
transportation of a chosen chemical
M4 Includes an explanation about why specific
actions are taken in the transportation of
a chosen chemical. Includes an example
where the actions are linked to the chemical
properties of a chosen chemical
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