c13

Question 1

what gases make up the earth’s atmosphere?

Answer 1

80% nitrogen, 20% oxygen, small proportion of other gases like carbon dioxide, water vapour and noble gases

Question 2

what was the early earth’s atmosphere like?

Answer 2

it contained water vapour and carbon dioxide

Question 3

how did oxygen enter the atmosphere of earth?

Answer 3

through plants and algae photosynthesising

Question 4

how did carbon dioxide decrease in the atmosphere

Answer 4

as algae and plants increased, this decreased the percentage of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by photosynthesis.
carbon dioxide also decreased by the formation of sedimentary rocks and fossil fuels that contain carbon.

Question 5

photosynthesis equation

Answer 5

carbon dioxide + water -> glucose + oxygen

Question 6

what are the green house gases?

Answer 6

water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane

Question 7

what do greenhouse gases do ?

Answer 7

they maintain temperatures on earth high enough to support life

Question 8

describe greenhouse effect - long and short wavelength

Answer 8

• when shortwave radiation (uv) from sun strikes the Earth’s surface, it is absorbed and re-emitted from the surface of the Earth as infrared radiation ( longer wavelength)
• lots of the radiation is trapped inside the earth’s eatmosphere by the greenhouse gases which can absorb and store the energy

Question 9

human activities that increase levels of carbon dioxide

Answer 9

when you burn fossil fuels and incomplete combustion takes place - petrol, kerosene
deforestation - less trees to absorb co2 from atmosphere by photosynthesis.

Question 10

human activities that increase levels of methane

Answer 10

rearing cattle for produce/eating
rice paddy fields - rotting of vegetation causes methane to be given off

Question 11

what is the effect and cause of rising sea levels?

Answer 11

global warming leads to ice caps melting causing rising sea levels. this would mean that low lying cities could experience flooding and permenant loss of usable land

Question 12

effect of intense and frequent droughts

Answer 12

collapse of agricultural production - starvation

Question 13

effect and cause of storms

Answer 13

warmer oceans means more moisture is entering the atmosphere so storms and hurricanes are more energetic and destructive

Question 14

effect pf extreme heatwaves and rainfall

Answer 14

• loss of life and destruction of infrastructure and ecosystems

Question 15

ways to reduce carbon footprint

Answer 15

• cuting out unneccessary journeys
• using public transport
• electric vehicles
• recycling and re-using

Question 16

what is carbon footprint

Answer 16

the total amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emitted over the full life cycle of a product, service or event

Question 17

what is coal used for

Answer 17

power stations and steel productions

Question 18

how is carbon monoxide produced and impact

Answer 18

incomplete combustion of burning fossil fuels. it binds to red blood cells instead of oxygen and so is poisonous

Question 19

carbon produced and impact

Answer 19

incomplete combustion of burning fossil fuels. soot/particulates of carbon cause global dimming, asthma, breathing problems and lung cancer

Question 20

how is sulphur dioxide produced and impact

Answer 20

fossil fuels contain small quantities of sulpher, and when they are burned it reacts wth oxygen in the air. this causes acid rain which kills fish and corrodes buildings. also causes respiratory problems in humans

Question 21

how is nitrogen oxide produced and impact

Answer 21

nitrogen and oxygen inside hot car engines react together. it causes acid rain which kills fish and corrodes buildings. also causes respiratory problems in humans