BTEC First Award in Application of Science - specification - Edexcel

UNIT 5: APPLICATIONS OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES
To achieve 2B.D2, learners must be able to analyse and explain the link between the
boiling point of the fractions and the length of their carbon chains.
To achieve 1B.3, learners must be able to name, from a representation of the
structural and displayed formulae, methane, ethane, propane, butane, ethene and
propene.
To achieve 2B.P3, learners must be able to accurately draw/provide a representation
of straight chain alkanes, with 1–6 carbon atoms, ethene, chloromethanes,
chloroethene, poly(ethene), ethanol and ethanoic acid.
To achieve 2B.M3, learners must be able to describe single and double bonding as
covalent and explain that the lines in the displayed formulae represent a shared pair
of electrons.
To achieve 1B.4, learners should, under supervision, identify an alkane and an alkene
from primary observations. The alkane and alkene may be identified on the basis of
being insoluble in water. The alkene may be identified by its ability to decolourise
bromine water rapidly.
To achieve 2B.P4, learners should follow guidance to identify an alkene and a
carboxylic acid (for example, ethanoic acid) from primary observations. Learners will
be expected to identify an alkene in the way described in 1B.4. For ethanoic acid this
is by its pH and its reaction with sodium carbonate. The guidance given to the
learners could be in the form of a flowchart.
To achieve 2B.M4, learners should be able to explain the basis on which the
identifications were made for an unknown alkane, alkene and carboxylic acid
compound using their practical observations.
To achieve 2B.D3, learners need to use the results of the experiments to identify
organic compounds using their reaction type, formulae and bonding in terms of their
functional group, such as a double bond in an alkene and carboxylic acid functional
group.
To achieve 1B.5, learners should state or provide a very brief description of a use of
ethene, a use of ethanol and a use of ethanoic acid.
To achieve 2B.P5, learners should provide a brief account of the use of:
● ethene as a feedstock – including as a raw material for ethanol manufacture
● ethene in polymerisation
● ethanol in alcoholic drinks – as a solvent, as a sterilisation agent, as a feedstock
and as a fuel
● poly(ethene)
● poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) – plasticised and unplasticised
● ethanoic acid in vinegar – as a pickling agent and as a feedstock for making esters.
To achieve 2B.M5, learners should explain the problems of at least two of these
uses/applications in detail.
To achieve 2B.D4, learners should be able to contrast the benefits and drawbacks of
using two organic materials, for example, PVC. Benefits like cost, stability, versatility
and low toxicity could be contrasted with drawbacks like the coupling with endocrine
disrupting plasticisers and the production of dioxins when incinerated. They should be
able to arrive at a judgement about whether the benefits outweigh the risks.
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BF029957 – Specification – Edexcel BTEC Level 1/Level 2 First Award in Application of Science –
Issue 1 – March 2012 © Pearson Education Limited 2012