Chemicals Are Everywhere Lesson 1: Unit 3

Chemicals are Everywhere Chemistry is an important part of life. You couldn’t breathe or move without chemistry. Cars wouldn’t work. All of your clothes and the food you eat would not exist. BUT......   Chemistry can also cause problems.

Case Study: Stan knew all of the safety rules for working at his job in the factory. He always wore his gloves, safety goggles, and an apron when he worked with dangerous chemicals. He was careful not to bring certain chemicals near open flames or heat sources that could set them on fire or make them explode.

Case Study: He thought he knew the right things to do about chemicals until a major storm flooded the city. It destroyed homes, flipped cars, and damaged fuel pipelines. Household chemical containers were broken. The chemicals mixed with flood waters. Some of the chemicals floated on top of the water and caught fire.

Case Study: City officials planned to pump the floodwaters into a nearby lake. From his training work, Stan knew that the chemicals that had spilled in the water were poisonous. They could kill fish, insects, plants, and other animals. Should he tell the officials?

Case Study? What do you think Stan should do?

Chemistry the Safe Way How many chemicals do you think you use or touch every day?

Everything is a chemical, but we usually use the word Chemical to mean something that reacts with other substances, or might be dangerous to us.

People who work with chemicals must know how to handle and store the chemicals they use. Like them, you need to know how to handle chemicals safely at home and school. Today is an introduction into why chemicals are useful and how to use them safely

List three activities you do that involve chemical products List three activities you do that involve chemical products. List at least one chemical product in each activity. Suggest one safety precaution you might take.

Volatile Organic Compounds Activity Chemical Product Safety Precautions Filling my car with gas Gasoline Do not light any flames while filling Cleaning The bathroom Bleach Wear gloves and goggles Painting Volatile Organic Compounds Work in a well ventilated area

List two chemicals that you used this week. How did you use each one? How I used it Propane My furnace burns it to heat my house Hydrogen peroxide and alcohol (mouthwash) I used it to help keep my teeth and mouth clean

Common Chemicals Found around the House Chlorine is found in many cleaners and bleaches. It kills bacteria in drinking water and swimming pools. It cleans away mildew from showers and other damp places.   Chlorine is an Irritant because it can damage your skin cells and other body tissues.

Ammonia is found in many household cleaners Ammonia is found in many household cleaners. Used in glass cleaner, it makes windows sparkle.   Ammonia is also an irritant that can damage skin. Breathing in ammonia fumes may damage your lungs.

Question: What might a building custodian do to avoid breathing chlorine or ammonia by accident?

Other Dangerous Chemicals Like Ammonia and Chlorine, many chemicals are useful when handled safely. They can be dangerous when used incorrectly.

Polystyrene is a chemical that is made in a lab and then used to make foam products such as cups and packing material. It does not absorb water and is good heat insulator. Polystyrene is safe to touch. It is also safe to drink or eat food that touches it. However, when polystyrene is burned it creates poisonous fumes.

Nail polish removers contain many chemicals. One of these is Acetone Nail polish removers contain many chemicals. One of these is Acetone. Acetone is a skin irritant. It can also cause brain damage if ingested or swallowed in large amounts. Acetone is very quick to start on fire, so it must be kept away from heat sources. Use it in a well ventilated area.

Organize the information from above. Questions Organize the information from above. Safe Use Possible Danger Polystyrene Usable for food and drink vessels Poisonous fumes if burned Acetone Cleans nails Can cause brain damage

While sitting around a camp fire, several students throw their foam cups into the bonfire. Some of the students sitting by the fire start to cough. How might their cough be related to the burning cups?

A student loves to polish her nails A student loves to polish her nails. Her three year old sister often gets up into her make-up supplies. Why should the student store her make-up supplies where her sister cannot reach them?

A student decides to clean the shower in their bath room and sprays chlorine on all of the walls of the shower. The phone rings they forget that they had not finished the job. What could happen if someone decides to have a shower while everything was still covered in chlorine?

Activity You will handle several household products. Write down the name of the product. The safety precautions First aid