Atmosphere 2- climate change and air quality

Question 1

What type of radiation is emitted by all objects?

Answer 1

electromagnetic

Question 2

What is the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation emitted determined by?

Answer 2

temperature of the object

Question 3

What does a higher temp do to wavelength?

Answer 3

results in a shorter wavelength

Question 4

What would the temp of earth be without greenhouse effect?

Answer 4

~-20*c

Question 5

What is the greenhouse effect?

Answer 5

the increase in the surface temperature of the Earth as a consequence of the presence of an overlying atmosphere

Question 6

What does the greenhouse effect arise as a result of?

Answer 6

Temperature dependence of emission spectra (Earth vs. Sun)
Differing absorption properties of Earth’s atmosphere towards Visible / IR radiation

Question 7

What wavelength is most incoming solar radiation?

Answer 7

visible wavelength

Question 8

What wavelength is most outgoing terrestrial radiation?

Answer 8

Far IR (infrared) wavelength

Question 9

What is the absorbance of atmospheric constituents like in relation to IR?

Answer 9

Absorb more IR than visible light

Question 10

What are some examples of greenhouse gases?

Answer 10

H2O
CO2
CH4
NO2

Question 11

How would earth be described without the greenhouse effect?

Answer 11

Snowball- completely frozen

Question 12

What is radiative forcing (RF)?

Answer 12

measure of the influence that a factor has in altering the balance of incoming and
outgoing energy in the Earth-atmosphere system

Question 13

What does positive and negative radiative forcing tend to be like?

Answer 13

Positive- warm the surface
Negative- tends to cool surface

Question 14

How is radiative forcing expressed?

Answer 14

W m*2

Question 15

How is radiative forcing calculated?

Answer 15

off pre industrial levels from 1750

Question 16

What is the IPCC?

Answer 16

Intergovernmental panel on climate change

Question 17

What is the radiative forcing value of CO2?

Answer 17

+1.7

Question 18

What would radiative forcing be when adding up individual factors for global effect?

Answer 18

+1.6 W m*2 (warming)

Question 19

What does a decrease in tropospheric ozone lead to? (RF)

Answer 19

cooling

Question 20

What is an aerosol?

Answer 20

suspension of particles and the gas it is suspended in

Question 21

What can particles in the atmosphere do and what is the effect?

Answer 21

Absorb= warming
Scatter= cooling

Question 22

What do raindrops like to have to form?

Answer 22

A condensation nuclei or surface (particles)

Question 23

What does more particles in the atmo lead to?

Answer 23

more particles = smaller droplets

Question 24

What are the 1st and the 2nd indirect affects of particles in the atmo?

Answer 24

1st- brighter cloud, higher albedo, more reflection
2nd- longer last clouds

Question 25

What is the cooling effect of particle clouds like?

Answer 25

Large and uncertain

Question 26

How are nitrate and sulphate particles produced?

Answer 26

combustion emissions + processing

Question 27

How are atmospheric organic compounds produced?

Answer 27

vegetation emissions + processing

Question 28

What do reductions in pm2.5 cause?

Answer 28

Air quality benefit Climate cost

Question 29

How is black carbon/ soot produced?

Answer 29

incomplete fuel combustion

Question 30

What are the main sources of black carbon?

Answer 30

vehicle emissions- diesel any in-efficient combustion

Question 31

What does black carbon do with solar radiation?

Answer 31

efficiently absorbs it leading to warming

Question 32

What will happen to air quality and climate from black carbon emissions?

Answer 32

Benefit for both

Question 33

WHat can be done to make people switch from petrol to diesel?

Answer 33

making the price of diesel less than petrol

Question 34

What is the benefit of diesel over petrol?

Answer 34

Improved fuel economy Lower CO2 emissions

Question 35

What is the negative of diesel over petrol?

Answer 35

higher air pollution emissions More NO2 and PM Worse for health

Question 36

What is the effect of changing from petrol to diesel on air quality of climate?

Answer 36

bad for air quality good for climate

Question 37

What will happen to co2 emissions with a shift from petrol/diesel to EV?

Answer 37

will be reduced (depending on source of electricity)

Question 38

What will happen to NO2 emissions with a shift from petrol/diesel to EV? (with benefits)

Answer 38

Reduced NO2 emissions (from tailpipe) Urban Air Quality & Health Benefit

Question 39

How does tropospheric ozone form?

Answer 39

VOCs + NOx + sunlight------- Ozone

Question 40

What does a reduction in VOCs (methane) and Ozone do for air quality and climate?

Answer 40

benefit for both