Atom Economy — GCSE Chemistry Revision
Revise Atom Economy for GCSE Chemistry. Step-by-step explanation, worked examples, common mistakes and exam-style practice aligned to AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC, Eduqas, CCEA, Cambridge International (CIE), SQA, IB, AP.
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Go to Gas VolumesWhat is Atom Economy?
Atom economy is a measure of how efficiently a chemical reaction converts the atoms in the reactants into the desired product. A higher atom economy means less waste is produced. It is a key concept in 'green chemistry', which aims to make industrial processes more sustainable.
Board notes: Atom economy is a higher-tier concept for all exam boards. It is often linked to discussions about the sustainability of industrial processes. You should be able to calculate it and compare the efficiency of different reaction pathways.
Step-by-step explanationWorked example
For the reaction C + 2H₂O → CO₂ + 2H₂, what is the atom economy for producing hydrogen? Mr(H₂) = 2, Mr(C) = 12, Mr(H₂O) = 18. Mass of desired product = 2 x Mr(H₂) = 4. Total mass of reactants = 12 + (2 x 18) = 48. Atom Economy = (4 / 48) x 100 = 8.3%.
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Common mistakes
- 1Confusing atom economy with percentage yield. Percentage yield is about how much product you actually get, while atom economy is about how much of the reactants theoretically end up in the desired product.
- 2Forgetting to include the balancing numbers from the equation when calculating the total mass of reactants or the mass of the desired product.
- 3Calculating the economy for the wrong product in a multi-product reaction.
Atom Economy exam questions
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Step-by-step method
Step-by-step explanation
4 steps · Worked method for Atom Economy
Core concept
Atom economy is a measure of how efficiently a chemical reaction converts the atoms in the reactants into the desired product. A higher atom economy means less waste is produced. It is a key concept i…
Frequently asked questions
Why is a high atom economy important?
A high atom economy means less waste is produced, which is better for the environment. It also means the process is more cost-effective as less is spent on raw materials that end up as waste.
Which type of reaction has 100% atom economy?
Addition reactions, where two or more reactants combine to form a single product, have an atom economy of 100% because all the atoms from the reactants are incorporated into the product.