Air Quality, Climate and Water Flashcards

1
Q

Which gas is most present in clean, dry air?

A

nitrogen

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2
Q

What is the composition of clean, dry air?

A

78% nitrogen
20% oxygen
1% water vapour
0.97% argon (among other inert gases)
0.03% carbon dioxide and others

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3
Q

How is carbon dioxide formed?

A

complete (and incomplete) combustion of carbon-containing fuels

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4
Q

How is carbon monoxide formed?

A

incomplete combustion of carbon-containing fuels

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5
Q

How are particulates (soot) formed?

A

incomplete combustion of carbon-containing fuels

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6
Q

How is methane formed (2 ways) ?

A

decomposition of vegetation
waste gases from digestion in animals

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7
Q

How are oxides of nitrogen formed?

A

nitrogen and oxygen in the air react in the heat of car engines

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8
Q

How is sulfur dioxide formed?

A

combustion of fossil fuels that contain sulfur compounds

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9
Q

What are common air pollutants?

A

carbon dioxide
carbon monoxide
soot/particulates
oxides of nitrogen
sulfur dioxide
methane

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10
Q

What is the negative effect of carbon dioxide?

A

increases global warming, leads to climate change

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11
Q

What is the negative effect of carbon monoxide?

A

toxic gas, binds to haemoglobin in your blood and reduces capacity to carry oxygen

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12
Q

What is the negative effect of soot/particulates?

A

increases risk of cancer
increases risk of respiratory problems

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13
Q

What are the negative effects of nitrogen oxides?

A

acid rain
photochemical smog
respiratory problems

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14
Q

What is the negative effect of methane?

A

increases global warming, leads to climate change

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15
Q

What is the negative effect of sulfur dioxide?

A

acid rain

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16
Q

What are strategies to reduce the effects of climate change?

A

planting trees
reducing livestock farming
less use of fossil fuels
more use of hydrogen
renewable energy

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17
Q

What are strategies to reduce the effects of acid rain?

A

catalytic converters in vehicles
using low-sulfur fuels
use of flue gas + calcium oxide for desulfurisation

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18
Q

What is an obligatory product of incomplete combustion?

A

water

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19
Q

What other products, besides water, can be formed from incomplete combustion?

A

soot, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide

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20
Q

What is the general word equation for complete combustion?

A

hydrocarbon + oxygen -> carbon dioxide + water

21
Q

Which two products are always formed from complete combustion?

A

carbon dioxide and water

22
Q

What two ways do greenhouse gases (CO2 and methane) cause global warming?

A

they absorb, reflect and emit thermal energy
reduce the loss of thermal energy to space

23
Q

How do oxides of nitrogen form in car engines?

A

nitrogen and oxygen in air react in the heat of a car engine

24
Q

What happens to nitrogen oxides in a catalytic converter?

A

they are reduced

25
Define 'photosynthesis'.
the process which uses energy from light to convert water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and glucose in the presence of chlorophyll
26
What is the word equation for photosynthesis?
carbon dioxide + water → glucose + oxygen
27
What is the symbol equation for photosynthesis?
6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2
28
What are two tests to test the presence of water?
anhydrous cobalt (II) chloride anhydrous copper (II) sulfate
29
What happens to anhydrous copper(II) sulfate when it is in contact with water?
it goes from white to blue
30
What happens to anhydrous cobalt (II) chloride when it is in contact with water?
it goes from blue to pink
31
How do you test for water purity?
boil water, if it boils at 100 degrees it is pure freeze water, if it freezes at 0 degrees it is pure
32
Why is distilled water used in practical chemistry?
distilled water has less chemical impurities
33
What potentially harmful substances can be found in water from natural sources?
some metal compounds some plastics sewage nitrates and phosphates
34
Which beneficial substances can be found in water from natural sources?
dissolved oxygen some metal compounds
35
Why are some plastics in water from natural sources harmful?
harm aquatic life
36
Why is sewage in water from natural sources harmful?
has harmful microbes which can cause disease
37
Why are nitrates and phosphates in water from natural sources harmful?
cause deoxygenation of water, damages aquatic life
38
Why is dissolved oxygen in water from natural sources beneficial?
beneficial for aquatic life
39
Why are some metal compounds in water from natural sources beneficial?
provide essential minerals for life
40
What is the function of sedimentation and filtration in water treatment?
remove solids
41
What is the use of carbon in water treatment?
removes smells and tastes
42
What does chlorination do in water treatment?
kill microbes
43
equation for what happens in the catalytic converter
2CO + 2NO -> 2CO2 + N2
44
equation for formation of oxides of nitrogen
N2 + 2O2 -> 2NO2
45
how catalytic converter reduces emissions of of pollutantants
- carbon monoxide converted to carbon dioxide (2CO + O2 -> 2CO2) - oxides of nitrogen are reduced to nitrogen - hydrocarbons are burned to make water - products: carbon dioxide, water, nitrogen
46
what is the pH of rain
5.6 (naturally acidic) as it mixes with solutes in the air
47
when CO2 and other solutes dissolve in rainwater, what is formed?
carbonic acid
48
formation of acid rain
- some fossil fuels contain sulphuric impurities - when burnt sulfur react with oxygen, producing sulphuric dioxide - sulphuric dioxide dissolves in rainwater to make sulphuric acids which form acid rain
49
problems with acid rain
- dissolve limestone (buildings) - destroy vegetation - kill water lief due to changing a lake, river, etc - damage human skin