2.3 - Monitoring the Atmosphere

Question 1

List four Greenhouse Gases

Answer 1

Water vapour
CO₂ (Carbon dioxide)
CH₃ (Methyl group)
Nitrogen oxides

Question 2

International panels have been set up to study global warming and climate change. Describe three outcomes of global warming that are of concern.

Answer 2

more violent storms
flooding of coastal areas
melting glaciers
greater spread of diseases
warming ocean
ocean acidification

Question 3

What factor has contributed to the thinning of the ozone layer?

Answer 3

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), chemical substances such as hairsprays, refrigerants. They rip up 100,000 ozone molecules from the ozone layer

Question 4

What is happening as a result of this thinning?

Answer 4

Greater exposure to UV radiation on Earth’s surface

Question 5

What are countries doing to protect the ozone layer?

Answer 5

Banning certain chemicals like CFCs (International agreements). Canada banned CFCs in 1996.

Question 6

What trend has been observed in carbon dioxide levels over the past century? Describe two suggested causes of this trend.

Answer 6

• more people → more breathing, more activity → more CO₂
  - Driving
  - Bonfires

Question 7

Explain the difference between the greenhouse effect and the enhanced greenhouse effect.

Answer 7

Greenhouse effect is when gases trap heat and the gases are called greenhouse gases. They are in our atmosphere naturally (CH₃, CO₂, H₂O (gas), NO). Enhanced greenhouse effect is the increase in human activity resulting in increased overall temperatures.