C1 AIR QUALITY

Question 1

What are the relative proportions of the main gases in the atmosphere?

Answer 1

78% Nitrogen
21% oxygen
1% argon

Question 2

What did earths early atmosphere consisted of?

Answer 2

Carbon dioxide and water vapour (formed by volcanic activity)

Question 3

What is the atmosphere made of?

Answer 3

Nitrogen, oxygen, argon, small a mouths of water vapour, carbon dioxide and other gases

Question 4

How was carbon dioxide removed and oxygen added to the atmosphere?

Answer 4

Because the evolution of photosynthesising organisms

Question 5

Name another way carbon dioxide was removed from the atmosphere

Answer 5

By dissolving in the oceans and then forming sedimentary rocks, and by the formation of fossil fuels

Question 6

How has human activity changed the composition of the atmosphere?

Answer 6

They added small amounts of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere. Extra carbon dioxide and small particles of solids (carbon).

Question 7

Why is carbon monoxide harmful?

Answer 7

If reduces the amount of oxygen blood can carry

Question 8

How is carbon dioxide and particulates added to the atmosphere?

Answer 8

• Burning fuels
• burning forests to make more farmland
• particulates are also created naturally as ash in volcanoes

Question 9

What’s harmful about sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide?

Answer 9

It creates acid rain, which damaged plants and animals

Question 10

What can nitrogen oxide trigger?

Answer 10

(With sulfur dioxide) triggers asthma

Question 11

What is coal mainly made of?

Answer 11

Carbon

Question 12

Name compounds of hydro carbons

Answer 12

Petrol, diesel fuel and fuel oil - all fossil fuels

Question 13

the equation when hydrocarbon fuel burns

Answer 13

hydro carbon + oxygen > carbon dioxide + water (+energy)

Question 14

what is oxidation

Answer 14

oxygen is added to substance

Question 15

what is reduction

Answer 15

oxygen is removed from substance

Question 16

what is combustion

Answer 16

and oxidation reaction

Question 17

what is created when solid yellow sulfur burns?

Answer 17

a colourless gass called sulfur dioxide

Question 18

sulfur is insoluble but sulfur dioxide dissolves in water to make an…

Answer 18

acid solution

Question 19

Equation for when sulfur in fossil fuels burn

Answer 19

sulfur + oxygen > sulfur dioxide

Question 20

Name an indirect pollutant

Answer 20

Acid rain- does not affect humans directly

Question 21

How is sulfur dioxide made?

Answer 21

when the fuel contains sulfur

Question 22

what is always formed when fuel burns?

Answer 22

carbon dioxide

Question 23

What happens when not enough air is available to burn the fuel?

Answer 23

• poisonous carbon monoxide is made

- particulares (soot) are formed - surface they labd on dirty

Question 24

How does car engines contribute to acid rain?

Answer 24

car engines make nitrogen oxide when nitrogen and oxygen from the air react at high temperatures - contributes to acid rain

Question 25

what is made when theres a n incomplete combustion?

Answer 25

carbon monoxide and particulate carbon

Question 26

How is nitrogen monoxide formed?

Answer 26

in furnaces and engines at a temperature of 1000C

Question 27

What happens when nitrogen monoxide is released?

Answer 27

it cools. it then reacts with more oxygen to form toxic nitrogen dioxide.

Question 28

how can pollutants be removed from the air?

Answer 28

• particulates can settle on surfaces
• sulfur and nitrogen oxides react with water and oxygen to produce acid rain
• carbon dioxide - photosynthesis
• carbon dioxide - dissolves in rain water and oceans

Question 29

Benefits of burning oil and gas instead of burning coal?

Answer 29

It makes less sulfur dioxide

Question 30

How can power stations remove solid particulates?

Answer 30

using electrostatic filters

Question 31

how can sulfur dioxide be removed from waste gases?

Answer 31

flue gas desulfurisation

Question 32

What are the two ‘wet scrubbing’ methods used to remove sulfur dioxide from power station waste?

Answer 32

1. using alkaline slurry of calcium oxide (line) and water to make calcium sulfate - can be sold as plaster
2. using sea water, a natarul alkaline which absorbs sulfur dioxide

Question 33

What are ways to reduce use of fossil fuels?

Answer 33

• using alternative energy resources
• improving building insulation
• reduce use of public transport

Question 34

what is an alternative to fossil fuels

Answer 34

biofuels - made from plants. examples afe wood chips, palm oil and alcohol made from sugar

Question 35

how can vehicles reduce air pollution?

Answer 35

• using cars less
• using cleaner fuels
• making public transport cheaper

Question 36

What are catalytic converters and what do they do?

Answer 36

they contain platinum catalyst that allows pollutant gases to react with each other

Question 37

what reaction (equation) happens inside a catalytic converter?

Answer 37

carbon monoxide + nitrogen monoxide > nitrogen + carbon monoxide

Question 38

how long ago did earths atmosphere form?

Answer 38

4 billion years ago