Experiences

Hydrocarbon derivatives

Mária Fabianová

Slovakia

Lower Secondary School

Chemistry

Teaching in class

Direct

This topic is based on knowledge about hydrocarbons to which I could devote only minimally. Analogical situation occurs in hydrocarbon derivatives and I can mention only some of them. Hydrocarbon derivatives are derived from hydrocarbon by one or more hydrogen being replaced with another atom or a group of atoms. This sentence refers only to formal derivation of derivatives, what I can show on the blackboard. In fact, these compounds are created on the basis of chemical reactions which follow each other and which are not very difficult. Students cannot show these reactions because thanks to curriculum they do not know them.
Halogen derivatives – formally we derive them by one hydrogen atom or a group of hydrogen atoms is replaced by a halogen element, this could be for example chloroform which was used as the first official substance for narcosis in surgical interventions. Until then were those interventions done in consciousness even though there were some supporting substances as alcohol and drugs. Here we may recall that drugs accompany humans for thousands of years and that it is not only current pernicious influence of USA as it tends to be presented.
CFCs also belong here. CFCs have to have in molecule an atom of fluorine and recently they were often mentioned because their usage is banned because they harmed ozonosphere. CFCs were part of sprays and were used in manufacture of refrigerators.
Another group of derivatives are nitro derivatives. Here we can mention 2, 4, 6-trinitrotoulene, abbreviated as trinitrotoluene, or TNT, which is explosive.
Hydroxy derivatives – we derive them from hydrocarbons by replacing hydrogen atoms with hydroxyl group – OH. By this way alcohol is created. At home wine is prepared by fermentation of fruit juices and sugar without air supply, alcohol and carbon dioxide is created.
Carbon is part of two oxides – carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide which is created during alcohol fermentation is rarefied and because it is lighter than air, gradually it replaces air in space. If there is much of the alcohol fermenting in a room it is necessary to come in with a candle. When it quench there is large concentration or carbon dioxide a you suffocate.
In France there is so called Dog cave in which is large carbon dioxide concentration. If a person with a dog comes in, the dog will survive but the person dies due to its height.
In connection with alcohol there will be debate about consumption of alcohol. Mainly on Monday there is a huge debate about who, how much and what kind of alcohol was consumed during a weekend. The more the better. I do not say that students grow to be alcoholics but it is unnecessary to explain it to them in this age. The only solution is to bring an alcoholic to the lesson but each of them would say “this cannot happen to me”, but it can.