Chemical industry

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/chemical-industry

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is Chemical industry known for?Represents a multi-trillion dollar global industry vital for economic growth and employment
2. How big is Chemical industry?Focus on green chemistry, renewable feedstocks, advanced materials, and circular economy principles
3. What is the primary feedstocks?Includes fossil fuels (oil, natural gas), minerals, air, water, and increasingly biomass
4. What is the foundational processes?Key transformations include synthesis, separation, polymerization, and catalytic reactions
5. Why do we need the chemical industry?It makes the basic materials and ingredients that help build other products, grow food, make medicine, and keep our world working.
6. How did the chemical industry start?It began in the Enlightenment and grew fast during the Industrial Revolution, with early big projects like making sulfuric acid and soda ash for soap and glass.

Petrochemicals: Chemicals derived from petroleum or natural gas, forming the basis for plastics and many other products.
Catalysis: The process of using a catalyst to increase the rate of a chemical reaction.
Green Chemistry: The design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances.
Circular Economy: An economic model focused on eliminating waste and the continual use of resources.