Atmospheric Chemistry

Question 1

Percentages of gases in the atmosphere

Answer 1

Nitrogen 80 percent
Oxygen 20 percent
Other gases like co2 less than 1 percent

Question 2

Most abundant gas the the atmosphere

Answer 2

Nitrogen

Question 3

3 greenhouse gases

Answer 3

Carbon dioxide, methane, water vapour

Question 4

How does methane get into the atmosphere

Answer 4

Decomposition of waster, farming cattle, digestive process

Question 5

What is the greenhouse effect

Answer 5

Greenhouse gases absorb long wavelength infrared radiation that is reflected from earth and remit it in all directions including back to earth

Question 6

How do we still feel heat from the sun

Answer 6

Greenhouse gases don’t absorb short wavelength infrared radiation from the sun

Question 7

What was the most abundant gas the early atmosphere had

Answer 7

Carbon fix dixodide

Question 8

What led to the formation of the early atmosphere

Answer 8

Volcanic eruptions

Question 9

What gases do volcanoes release

Answer 9

Carbon dioxide, nitrogen, water vapour, methane, ammonia

Question 10

Why did the percentage of oxygen increase

Answer 10

Plant and algae evolved which photosynthesised producing oxygen

Question 11

Photosynthesis word equation

Answer 11

Water plus carbon dioxide equals oxygen and glucose

Question 12

Give 2 reasons why the percent of carbon dioxide decreased

Answer 12

Was removed by plants in photosynthesis
Dissolved in the oceans which formed sediments leading to sedimentary rocks shells and fossil fuels

Question 13

What are the three fossil fuels

Answer 13

Coal oil and natural gas like methane

Question 14

Why is the percentage of nitrogen so high

Answer 14

Levels of nitrogen has increased slowly as it’s unreactive so doesn’t get used up by many organisms

Question 15

Why can scientists not be sure about the composition of the early atmosphere

Answer 15

There is limited evidence

Question 16

What evidence is there that oxygen formed around 2.7 billion years ago

Answer 16

Iron oxide can be found in rocks

Question 17

Give two ways human activities have increased the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

Answer 17

Agriculture, deforestation, burning fossil fuels, producing waste, burning peat

Question 18

What’s global warming

Answer 18

An increase in the overall global temperature average

Question 19

What’s climate change

Answer 19

A change in the long term weather patterns across the planet

Question 20

2 effects of climate change

Answer 20

Rising sea levels, melting ice caps, extreme wether events, changes in rainfall

Question 21

Why’s is difficult to determine the cause of climate change

Answer 21

Complex system with many factors

Question 22

Scientist need to have their work checked and verified by others. What’s this called

Answer 22

Peer review

Question 23

What is a carbon footprint

Answer 23

The amount of carbon that a person, produc or process releases into the atmosphere over its lifetime

Question 24

3 atmospheric pollutants

Answer 24

Carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, carbon particulates, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides

Question 25

How do carbon particulates get into the atmosphere

Answer 25

Incomplete combustion
Global dimming
Respiratory problems

Question 26

Which atmospheric polluatants can cause acid rain

Answer 26

Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide

Question 27

How do oxides of nitrogen form

Answer 27

In car engines the high temp cause nitrogen from the atmosphere to react with oxygen