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ESS > Atmospheric Systems and Societies > Flashcards

Atmospheric Systems and Societies Flashcards

1
Q

What is the primary component of Earth’s atmosphere by percentage?

A

Nitrogen - 78.08%

The atmosphere is primarily composed of nitrogen.

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2
Q

What is the second most abundant gas in the atmosphere?

A

Oxygen - 20.95%

Oxygen is essential for animal life.

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3
Q

What percentage of the atmosphere is composed of Argon?

A

0.93%

Argon is a noble gas with minimal reactivity.

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4
Q

What gas has a concentration of 0.038% in the atmosphere?

A

Carbon Dioxide

Carbon dioxide is crucial for photosynthesis.

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5
Q

What was the state of the atmosphere at the formation of the Earth?

A

There was no atmosphere

Initially, the Earth had little or no oxygen.

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6
Q

What gases were released by volcanoes during the early years of Earth’s formation?

A

Methane, ammonia, and water vapor

These gases contributed to the formation of the early atmosphere.

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7
Q

What allowed plants to evolve and produce oxygen?

A

Water vapor and carbon dioxide

Photosynthesis requires these gases.

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8
Q

What did the presence of oxygen in the atmosphere allow?

A

The evolution of animals

Oxygen is vital for aerobic respiration.

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9
Q

How long has the current composition of the lower atmosphere remained fairly constant?

A

200 million years

This stability is crucial for maintaining life.

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10
Q

What can water vapor be considered in terms of atmospheric gases?

A

An atmospheric gas

Water vapor plays a significant role in weather and climate.

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11
Q

What type of system can the Earth’s atmosphere be considered?

A

A dynamic closed system

It changes in composition but does not exchange matter with the outside.

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12
Q

What are the inputs to the atmospheric system?

A

Sunlight and heat

These inputs drive atmospheric processes.

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13
Q

What processes occur within the atmospheric system?

A

Reflection and emission

These processes affect energy transfer.

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14
Q

What are the outputs of the atmospheric system?

A

Energy, heat, and light

These outputs influence climate and weather patterns.

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15
Q

Fill in the blank: The atmosphere exchanges _______ but not matter with the outside.

A

energy

Energy exchanges are crucial for maintaining atmospheric balance.

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16
Q

What is the approximate altitude of the troposphere?

A

Roughly 0 to 10 km

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17
Q

How does temperature change in the troposphere?

A

Temperature decreases

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18
Q

What are the main components of the troposphere?

A

Mainly nitrogen and oxygen

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19
Q

What is the altitude range of the stratosphere?

A

10 km to 50 km

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20
Q

Where is the ozone layer located?

A

At the top end of the troposphere, about 10 km, up into the stratosphere

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21
Q

What key processes are involved in the atmosphere?

A

Greenhouse effect

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22
Q

What would the Earth’s atmosphere be on average without the greenhouse effect?

A

13.73 degrees Celsius less

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23
Q

What happens to incoming solar radiation in the atmosphere?

A

Half is reflected and absorbed by the atmosphere, and half reaches the ground

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24
Q

What type of radiation is reflected back from the ground?

A

Infrared radiation

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25
Q

What are examples of greenhouse gases?

A
  • Methane
  • CO2
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26
Q

How is ozone created in the atmosphere?

A

By the reaction of oxygen and sunlight to create O3

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27
Q

Where is most ozone created?

A

Over the equator

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28
Q

What role does the ozone layer play in protecting life on Earth?

A

Filters the most harmful UV rays (UVb and UVc)

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29
Q

True or False: Ozone can be considered a greenhouse gas.

A

True

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30
Q

Fill in the blank: The greenhouse effect is essential; without it, the Earth’s atmosphere would be on average _______.

A

13.73 degrees Celsius less

31
Q

What is the function of the ozone layer?

A

Allows life on Earth by filtering harmful UV rays

32
Q

What is the planetary boundary layer?

A

As level 0 in the atmosphere

33
Q

What are the 2 types of ozone?

A

Good ozone and bad ozone

34
Q

Where is good ozone found?

A

In the ozone layer

35
Q

Where is bad ozone found?

A

In the troposphere / ground-level

36
Q

What is the chemical reaction for ozone formation?

A

O2 → 0+0 + O2 → O3

37
Q

What is the primary role of stratospheric ozone?

A

Protects against ultraviolet radiation

38
Q

Why do we need to be protected from ultraviolet radiation?

A

It can cause genetic mutations, cancer, cataracts, and immune suppression

39
Q

What are the three types of UV radiation?

A

UV-C, UV-B, UV-A

40
Q

Which type of UV radiation is the most harmful?

A

UV-C

41
Q

What happens to half of UV-B radiation?

A

It is absorbed

42
Q

What is one benefit of UV-A radiation?

A

Stimulates production of vitamin D

43
Q

What deficiency can be caused by a lack of vitamin D?

A

Rickets

44
Q

What skin diseases can UV radiation help treat?

A

Psoriasis and vitiligo

45
Q

What industrial uses does UV radiation have?

A

Sterilization, lighting, forensics

46
Q

What negative effect does UV radiation have on plants?

A

Damages photosynthetic organisms

47
Q

What can UV radiation potentially affect in food webs?

A

Consumers of food webs

48
Q

What is the chemical formula for ozone?

A

O3

Ozone is a molecule consisting of three oxygen atoms.

49
Q

What is the process called when UV radiation splits a diatomic oxygen molecule into two oxygen atoms?

A

Photolysis

This process leads to the formation of free oxygen atoms.

50
Q

What happens to a free oxygen atom after it is formed from photolysis?

A

It reacts with oxygen molecules to form ozone

This is a key step in ozone production.

51
Q

What role do CFC molecules play in ozone depletion?

A

CFC molecules release chlorine atoms when broken down by UV radiation

Chlorine atoms are highly reactive and contribute to ozone depletion.

52
Q

What occurs when a chlorine atom reacts with an ozone molecule?

A

The chlorine atom pulls one oxygen atom away

This reaction results in the formation of chlorine monoxide.

53
Q

What is the end result of the reaction between chlorine monoxide and a free oxygen atom?

A

It produces oxygen and regenerates a free chlorine atom

This allows the chlorine atom to continue depleting ozone.

54
Q

Fill in the blank: The formula for diatomic oxygen is _______.

A

O2

Diatomic oxygen consists of two oxygen atoms.

55
Q

True or False: Free chlorine atoms can be used up in the ozone depletion process.

A

False

Free chlorine atoms are regenerated during the reactions and can continue to deplete ozone.

56
Q

List the reactions involving ozone in the stratosphere.

A
  • O2 + O → O3
  • O3 → O2 + O
  • O2 → O + O
  • CFC → Cl + FC
  • Cl + O3 → ClO + O
  • ClO + O → O2 + Cl

These reactions illustrate the formation and destruction of ozone.

57
Q

What is the result of ozone destruction in the stratosphere?

A

O3 → O2 + O

This reaction describes the breakdown of ozone into diatomic oxygen and a free oxygen atom.

58
Q

What is the consequence of free chlorine in the stratosphere?

A

It continues to deplete ozone

This is a significant environmental concern related to ozone layer depletion.

59
Q

why is the ozone layer worse at the poles?

A

because draft winds pushed CFCs to the poles

60
Q

how is the ozone hole measured

A

they measure the amount of UV that comes through to identify the condition of the ozone

61
Q

when is the ozone layer more depleted

A

in the summer

62
Q

what are ozone depleting substances?

ODS

A

substances that break apart the ozone layer

63
Q

name

name 5 ODS, where they come from and what do they release

A
  • Cholorfluorocarbons (CFCs) -> propellants in spray cans, refridgerators -> cholrine atoms
  • Hydrochlorocarbons (HCFCs) -> replacement for CFCs -> release chlorine atoms but have a shorter lifetime in the atmosphere and contribute to the greenhouse effect
  • Halons -> fire extinguishers -> bromine atoms
  • Nitrous oxides -> bacterial breakdown of nitrites/nitrates in soil/ in high-flying supersonic aircraft -> the nitrogen oxides are converted into N0, which reacts with ozone
  • Methyl Bromides -> pesticide -> bromine atoms
64
Q

when were CFCs developed

A

1930

65
Q

why were CFCs useful

A

They were used to be the answer to many technological problems because they are inert. They were used for:
- propellants in aerosols
- pesticides
- Refrigerators
- flame retardants

66
Q

what two international agreements aimed to restore the ozone layer?

A
  • the Vienna convention for the protection of the ozone layer (1985)
  • the Montreal Protocol (1987)
67
Q

what did the Vienna Protocol do?

A

they produced an agreement between every country in the UN to protect the ozone layer but it included to legally binding goals

68
Q

what did the Montreal Protocol do?

A
  • LEDCs were given a longer period to phase out CFCs
  • the manufacture and the use of CFCs was phased out then banned
  • the use of HCFCs will be phased out by 2030
  • only some essential uses of ODS are used (i.e. halon fire extinguishers in aircrafts)
  • they provided a fund to help countries implement the protocol
69
Q

what alternative products did the montreal implement?

A
  • stick or roll-on deodorants rather than spray
  • pump action sprays are now used, for example for domestic cleaning products
  • HCFCs were introduced because they are less stable than CFCs are most would break done in the troposphere before even reaching the stratosphere, additionally they have no chlorine atoms to cause ozone depletion
70
Q

name 2 materials where CFCs have been replaced

A
  • CFCs in asthma inhalers have been replaced with HFAs
  • CFCs have been replaced by hydrocarbons like propane and butane
71
Q

evaluate the effectiveness of ozone restoration methods

A
  • international recognition of the ozone issue lead to the effectiveness of the protocol
  • the agreement was accepted by every country, therefore is the best example of international cooperation on an environmental issue
  • they developed alternate processes so the use od ODS were now unnecessary
72
Q

why is it hard to monitor the ozone hole’s recovery

A

Monitoring the recovery is complicated by:
- variations in the atmosphere regarding temperature and wind
- the amount of aerosols in the atmosphere
- the amount of ozone-destroying volcanie dust

73
Q

what is the role of the scientific assessment of ozone depletion (2018)

A
  • to examine the state of the ozone
  • the condition of the atmosphere
  • the links between ozone change and climate change

ESS (10 decks)

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