air quality climate water Flashcards
Which gas is most present in clean, dry air?
nitrogen
What is the composition of clean, dry air?
78% nitrogen
20% oxygen
1% water vapour
0.97% argon (among other inert gases)
0.03% carbon dioxide and others
How is carbon dioxide formed?
complete combustion of carbon-containing fuels
How is carbon monoxide formed?
incomplete combustion of carbon-containing fuels
How are particulates (soot) formed?
burning carbon-containing fuels
How is methane formed (2 ways) ?
decomposition of vegetation
waste gases from digestion in animals
How are oxides of nitrogen formed?
nitrogen and oxygen in the air react in the HIGH TEMPERATURES of car engines
How is sulfur dioxide formed?
Burning sulfur-containing fossil fuels
What are common air pollutants?
carbon dioxide
carbon monoxide
soot/particulates
oxides of nitrogen
sulfur dioxide
methane
What is the negative effect of carbon dioxide?
increases global warming, leads to climate change
What is the negative effect of carbon monoxide?
toxic gas, binds to haemoglobin in your blood and reduces capacity to carry oxygen
What is the negative effect of soot/particulates?
increases risk of cancer and respiratory problems
What are the negative effects of nitrogen oxides?
acid rain
photochemical smog
respiratory problems
What is the negative effect of methane?
increases global warming, leads to climate change
What is the negative effect of sulfur dioxide?
acid rain
What are strategies to reduce the effects of climate change?
planting trees
reducing livestock farming
less use of fossil fuels
more use of hydrogen
renewable energy
What are strategies to reduce the effects of acid rain?
catalytic converters in vehicles
using low-sulfur fuels
use of flue gas + calcium oxide for desulfurisation
What is an obligatory product of incomplete combustion?
water
What other products, besides water, can be formed from incomplete combustion?
soot, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide
What is the general word equation for complete combustion?
hydrocarbon + oxygen -> carbon dioxide + water
Which two products are always formed from complete combustion?
carbon dioxide and water
What two ways do greenhouse gases (CO2 and methane) cause global warming?
they absorb, reflect and emit thermal energy
reduce the loss of thermal energy to space