People's Education Press High School Chemistry Compulsory Course II: Natural Resources and Chemistry: The Foundation of Sustainable Development

Chemistry is the scientific study of the composition, structure, properties, and transformation laws of matter. It is the core force enabling humanity to develop and utilize natural resources rationally and achievesustainable developmentcore goals. Natural resources often exist as complex mixtures or compounds. Chemistry enables targeted reactions to concentrate, separate, and synthetically produce valuable materials—transforming 'waste' into treasure.

Contradictions and Evaluation in Resource Development

Resource Scarcity vs. Unlimited Demand: While total quantities are vast, easily accessible resources are scarce. For example, despite the immense volume of seawater, freshwater is extremely limited—driving advancements in desalination and integrated extraction technologies.
Sustainable Development Assessment: Alongside evaluating development efficiency, environmental costs must be considered—such as energy consumption, waste recycling rates, and long-term impacts on ecological balance.
Energy Structure Optimization: Using 'West-to-East Gas Transmission' as an example, replacing coal gas with natural gas is not just an energy upgrade but also a chemical optimization of combustion that reduces carbon emissions.

The Vision of Green Chemistry

The core of green chemistry is 'atom economy'—striving to convert all atoms in reactants into desired products, achieving 'zero emissions' and eliminating pollution at its source.

QUESTION 1

Which of the following processes in the transformation of natural resources is a physical change?

Coal dry distillation

Petroleum fractional distillation

Petroleum cracking

Ethylene polymerization

QUESTION 2

A stove originally uses coal gas (main components $CO, H_2$). If switched to natural gas (main component $CH_4$), how should the air intake be adjusted?

Reduce

Increase

Keep unchanged

Turn off

QUESTION 3

According to Earth’s water distribution, seawater accounts for $97\%$ of total water. Which of the following is NOT a primary application of chemical methods in seawater utilization?

Desalination to obtain fresh water

Extracting salt from seawater

Extracting iodine from seaweed

Directly filtering seawater via gravity to produce distilled water

QUESTION 4

The method commonly used in industry to extract metallic aluminum is:

Thermal decomposition

Thermal reduction (using coke)

Electrolysis of molten aluminum oxide

Electrolysis of aluminum sulfate solution

QUESTION 5

Which of the following statements about 'green chemistry' is incorrect?

Its core is eliminating pollution at the source using chemical principles

Its goal is achieving 'zero emissions'

It only requires effective wastewater treatment after pollution occurs

Atom utilization rate is a key indicator of its effectiveness

Integrated Practice: Current Energy Situation and Environmental Response

Coordinated Thinking on Resource Depletion and Environmental Protection

The world currently faces a sharp contradiction between finite resources and infinite demand. By analyzing data on China’s energy consumption and mineral reserves over the past decade, along with research on fossil fuel emissions, we need to propose chemical-based strategies for response.

[Writing Task] Based on internet-sourced trends in China’s energy consumption and mineral reserves over the past decade, explain the necessity of energy conservation. Also briefly describe the environmental impacts of coal and oil combustion emissions and human countermeasures. (Requirement: At least 150 words)

Answer:
China’s energy consumption has risen annually with industrialization, while fossil fuels like oil and natural gas have limited remaining reserves. Their non-renewable nature makes energy conservation essential for national energy security and achieving the 'dual carbon' goals. Coal combustion releases sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides—the main causes of acid rain—and particulates contribute to smog. Oil combustion emits large amounts of carbon dioxide, accelerating global warming. Countermeasures include: 1. Chemical technologies such as desulfurization, denitrification, and carbon capture and storage (CCS); 2. Optimizing energy structure—from coal to natural gas, hydrogen, and biomass energy; 3. Improving atom economy and developing green synthesis processes to reduce waste at the source.

It is known that producing 1 mole of aluminum requires $1.8 \times 10^6 \text{ J}$ of electrical energy, whereas recycling aluminum cans consumes only $3\% \sim 5\%$ of the energy needed to produce aluminum from ore. Analyze the significance of this data from both chemical and sustainable development perspectives.

Answer:
This data clearly shows that primary resource extraction (e.g., aluminum electrolysis) is extremely energy-intensive. Establishing a robust recycling system through chemical means not only greatly conserves energy but also reduces environmental pollution caused by mining and smelting. This highlights chemistry’s central role in enhancing resource circularity and reducing environmental costs within sustainable development evaluation frameworks.