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GCSE Chemistry > C6.3 - Earth Systems > Flashcards

C6.3 - Earth Systems Flashcards

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1
Q

What substances form the earths atmosphere from highest to least %

A
  • nitrogen
  • oxygen
  • argon
  • carbon dioxide
  • trace amounts of other gases
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2
Q

What was the atmosphere like billions of years ago

A
  • lots of volcanic activity
  • release huge volumes of water vapour & carbon dioxide
  • as earth cooled, water vapour condensed, formed oceans
  • leaving atmosphere as mostly carbon dioxide
  • small amounts of other gases: methane, ammonia
  • little/no oxygen
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3
Q

How is it thought an oxygen-rich atmosphere developed on earth

A
  • plants & algae appeared
  • photosynthesis reduced amount of CO2 (absorbed) & increased amount of oxygen (released)
  • first, oxygen reacted with metals in rocks, produce metal oxides
  • as most of metals becomes oxidised, free oxygen began to accumulate in atmosphere
  • eventually oxygen-rich atmosphere
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4
Q

Pollutants

Atmospheric pollutants

A

Substances released into environment that may cause harm to living things

Atmosphere = released into air

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5
Q

Examples of atmospheric pollutants as a result of burning fossil fuels

A
  • carbon monoxide
  • particulates
  • oxides of nitrogen (NO, NO2)
  • sulfur dioxide
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6
Q

How is carbon monoxide produced

A

During incomplete combustion of fuels that contain carbon

(coal, wood, in vehicle engine)

(in poor supply of air)

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7
Q

Problems with carbon monoxide

What does it cause

A
  • toxic gas
  • colourless, no smell / taste
  • when breathed in, attached to haemoglobin protein in red blood cells
  • reduces amount of oxygen bloodstream cab carry

= drowsiness, difficulty breathing, death

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8
Q

How are particulates produced

A

Small particles

  • formed during incomplete combustion (in vehicle engines)
  • in industrial processes (metal extraction)
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9
Q

Why are particulates dangerous

What do they cause

A
  • smallest particulates settle deep in lungs when breathed in

= disease (bronchitis), breathing problems, increases chance of heart disease

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10
Q

How are oxides of nitrogen formed (NOx)

A
  • nitrogen & oxygen in air don’t normally react
  • nitrogen & oxygen react at high temps in vehicle engines
  • forming nitrogen monoxide (NO)
  • NO oxidised in air
  • forming nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
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11
Q

Why are oxides of nitrogen dangerous

A
  • nitrogen dioxide dissolves in moisture in clouds, forming acidic solutions
  • falls as acid rain
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12
Q

How does sulfur dioxide form

What problems does sulfur dioxide cause

A

Fossil fuels contain small amounts of sulfur compounds
Impurities form sulfur dioxide when fuel burnt

  • acid rain
  • breathing difficulties
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13
Q

Acid rain

What problems can it cause

A

Rain containing acidic gases from air

  • erodes stonework
  • corrodes metals
  • can kill trees
  • can kill living things in rivers / lakes
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14
Q

Greenhouse effect

A

Interaction of infrared radiation with molecules in the atmosphere
Reducing the transfer of energy to space

Keeps earth & atmosphere warm enough for living things to exist

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15
Q

Explain how the greenhouse effect works

A
  1. Energy transferred by radiation from sun reaches earths surface
  2. Radiation warms up earths surface
  3. Infrared radiation emitted by earths surface
    - some goes directly into space
    - some absorbed by greenhouse has molecules in atmosphere
  4. Greenhouse gas molecules emit infrared radiation in all directions, warming earths surface & atmosphere
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16
Q

How are different greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere

A

Carbon dioxide: combustion of fossil fuels
Methane: rice paddy fields, cattle, landfill waste sites, use of natural gas

Others: human / anthropogenic activities

17
Q

What causes an enhanced greenhouse effect

A
  • release of additional greenhouse gases (by human / anthropogenic activities)
  • increases temp of earths atmosphere
18
Q

What can the enhanced greenhouse effect cause

A

Global warming:

  • melting ice caps
  • rising sea levels

Climate change

  • altered weather patterns
  • flooding
  • problems with farming
  • problems with disease control
19
Q

How can greenhouse house emissions be reduced

A
  • reduce consumption of fossil fuels (use biofuels)
  • use renewable energy resources (wind, solar energy) to generate electricity
  • stop carbon dioxide escaping when fuels used (carbon capture)
20
Q

What is done to protect against the effects of global warming

A
  • flood barriers
  • planting different crops
  • designing buildings to withstand high winds
21
Q

Carbon capture

A

Process by which carbon dioxide emissions are collected & stored & not allowed into atmosphere

22
Q

Where does tap water originally come from

A
  • lakes
  • reservoirs
  • aquifers
  • rivers
  • waste water
23
Q

Aquifer

A

Layer of rock that stored water underground

24
Q

What must be removed from water to make it safe to drink

A
  • insoluble materials (leaves, particles from rocks / soil)
  • soluble substances (salts, pollutants: pesticides, fertilisers)
  • microorganisms
25
Q

Potable water

A

Water safe for drinking

26
Q

Stages in water treatment of fresh water

A
  • passed through screen (bars of metal placed close together), catch large objects (leaves, twigs)
  • settlement tank: sand & soil settle out
  • aluminium sulfate & lime added, small particles of dirt clump together & sink to bottom, sludge dumped in landfill site & forms mud
  • passed through filter (made of fine sand), removes remaining particles (mud, grit) so water clear
  • small amount of chlorine added to kill bacteria
  • pH checked & corrected so it is neutral
  • stored in large tanks & service reservoirs, ready to be pumped to where its needed
27
Q

What process is used to treat salt water

A

Desalination

= removes dissolved salts from water

28
Q

Desalination (to removed salts from salt water)

A

Small scale: ‘reverse osmosis’ using ‘ultrafilters’ used to filter out salts

Large scale: simple distillation used

29
Q

In what countries would desalination be worthwhile

A
  • fresh water supplies limited

- cost of energy resources is low

GCSE Chemistry (10 decks)

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