Achievement Task

Are organic chemicals more beneficial than harmful to society? This is the question you and your co-workers will debate. You are all working for a company that analyzes future trends in industries and helps chemical industries make decisions about: production methods and alternative processes that are available; and materials that deliver the properties needed but at the same time are environmentally friendly.

Your company president, after reading reports about the effects of organic chemicals on the environment, has decided that everyone in the company should research organic compounds. A debate between co-workers will then be held as to whether organic compounds are beneficial or harmful and whether chemical industries should continue to focus on organic chemicals or should they be researching alternatives. By doing this, everyone in the company will participate in the decision-making process.

1. For this debate, each worker will research one specific chemical and write a brief report about the properties, structure, and synthesis of this chemical and also describe any problems or benefits associated with its use.
2. Each team will prepare for the debate by preparing supportive arguments for each side of the issue and will write a paper summarizing their position on the issue after the debate.

First, divide into teams of three or four people. Each team is responsible for one of the following categories:

1. Within each category or team, each person will select one chemical and use a variety of resources to describe:

   1. the formula of the chemical and in what products is the chemical found: around the house or in industry?
   2. the raw materials used, their cost and processing requirements
   3. how the chemical is made, including word and balanced chemical equations
   4. the problems and benefits associated with this chemical.
   5. the technologies involved in production

2. Summarize your results in an appropriate format.

1. Design a set of procedures to test the physical properties of your chemical. Outline your expected observations and explain your predictions based on the chemical’s structure. Check with your teacher and if possible, look at products that contain this chemical and note its physical properties. Are they similar or different than those predicted for the chemical? Explain similarities and differences.
2. Design a set of procedures to test the chemical properties of your chemical. You will need to review or research the chemical properties of hydrocarbons and also other families of organic compounds. Check your procedures with your teacher. Outline your expected observations and explain these predictions based on your research.

Before the debate, each person will prepare a report that should include:

1. an introduction
2. a summary recorded in an appropriate format of: the formula of the chemical and in what products is the chemical found; the raw materials used, their cost and processing requirements; how the chemical is made, including word and balanced chemical equations; the problems and benefits associated with this chemical; and the technologies involved in production
3. a table summarizing your procedures, predicted physical and chemical properties, and explanations of those properties
4. a conclusion that considers the benefits versus the problems of using this chemical
5. all references used listed in APA style

After the debate, each team will meet and review the question of whether organic chemicals are more beneficial or harmful to society and whether chemical industries should continue to focus on organic chemicals or whether they should be researching alternatives. The team should arrive at a position that is agreed upon by all members and then write a brief summary of this position, supported by arguments from the debate or research.