C13(The Earths Atmosphere)

Question 1

The earths early atmosphere was formed by ….

Answer 1

Volcanic activity

Question 2

How was the early atmosphere formed

Answer 2

volcanoes released carbon dioxide, water vapour and nitrogen and these gases formed the early atmosphere

Question 3

How were Earths oceans formed

Answer 3

-water vapour in the atmosphere condensed as the earth cooled down
-which caused water to fall as rain over millions of years
-water was collected in hollows in the crust as the rock solidified
-which formed the oceans

Question 4

In earths early atmosphere the main gases were …

Answer 4

-Carbon dioxide
-ammonia
-methane
-water vapour

Question 5

How was oxygen formed in the atmosphere

Answer 5

-2.7 billion years ago algae evolved
-algae used energy from the sun to produce food by photosynthesis
-this produced oxygen gas as a waste product
-over the next billion years the levels of oxygen increased steadily as the algae thrived
-more plants evolved, all of them were photosynthesising, removing CO2 and making O2

Question 6

How was the carbon dioxide reduced in the atmosphere

Answer 6

-photosynthesis by algae and plants
-the formation of sedimentary rocks and fossil fuels trapped carbon
-carbon dioxide dissolved in the water of the oceans

Question 7

How was ammonia and methane reduced in the atmosphere

Answer 7

By reactions with oxygen

Question 8

The levels of nitrogen in the atmosphere increased by …

Answer 8

-volcanoes
-nitrogen gas is a very unreactive gas so it was not reduced in the atmosphere

Question 9

What are the gases that form our modern atmosphere

Answer 9

-nitrogen = 78%
-oxygen = 21%
-argon = 0.9%
-carbon dioxide = 0.04%
-trace amounts of other gases

Question 10

What are the main greenhouse gases in our atmosphere

Answer 10

-carbon dioxide
-methane
-water vapour

Question 11

What are greenhouse gases

Answer 11

Gases that absorb energy radiated from Earths surface

Question 12

How does the greenhouse effect work

Answer 12

-the greenhouse gases let short wavelength EM radiation from the sun pass through to warm up the planet
-the surface of the earth cools down by emitting longer wavelength infrared radiation back into space
-greenhouse gases absorb the infrared radiation being reflected which causes thermal energy to get trapped in the atmosphere warming it up

Question 13

What are the consequences of global climate change

Answer 13

-rising sea levels
-extreme weather events
-changes in temperature and amount of rainfall
-endangerment of species

Question 14

What is the carbon footprint

Answer 14

The total amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emitted over its full life cycle

Question 15

How is sulfur dioxide formed

Answer 15

Oxidation of sulfur impurities

Question 16

What does sulfur dioxide cause

Answer 16

Acid rain

Question 17

How is carbon monoxide and carbon(soot) formed

Answer 17

Incomplete combustion

Question 18

What does carbon monoxide cause

Answer 18

Causes your red blood cells to carry carbon monoxide instead of oxygen

Question 19

How are nitrogen oxides formed

Answer 19

Oxidation of nitrogen gas in air at high temperatures in vehicle engines

Question 20

What do nitrogen oxides cause

Answer 20

-toxic and can trigger some people’s asthma
-acid rain

Question 21

How are particulates formed

Answer 21

Burning diesel

Question 22

What do particulates cause

Answer 22

Global dimming

Question 23

Answer 23

Question 24

Answer 24

Question 25

Answer 25

Question 26

Answer 26

Question 27

Answer 27

Question 28

Answer 28

Question 29

Answer 29