C9: The Chemistry Of The Atmosphere

Question 1

What percentage of Nitrogen is in the air?

Answer 1

78%

Question 2

What percentage of Oxygen is in the air?

Answer 2

20%

Question 3

What percentage of Argon is in the air?

Answer 3

0.97%

Question 4

What percentage of Carbon dioxide is in the air?

Answer 4

0.03%

Question 5

What percentage of Water vapour is in the air?

Answer 5

0.4%

Question 6

The atmosphere today(2):

Answer 6

• The proportions of gases in the atmosphere have stayed constant for 200 million years
• Water vapour amounts varied from (0-3%)

Question 7

The Early Atmosphere(4):

Answer 7

• Intense volcanic activity that produced nitrogen
• When the oceans formed, carbon dioxide dissolved in the water
• Low oxygen
• Small proportions of methane and ammonia

Question 8

Greenhouse Gases(4):

Answer 8

• Ozone
• Methane
• Carbon dioxide
• Water Vapour

Question 9

How long was there no oxygen?

Answer 9

3 1/2 billion years

Question 10

Carbon footprint

Answer 10

The total amaount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases is emitted by a product service or event

Question 11

Factors that reduce carbon footprint(4):

Answer 11

• Wasting less energy
• Carbon capture and storage
• Carbon taxes
• Use of Carbon-neutral products

Question 12

What is the environmental effect of Sulfur dioxide on the atmosphere?

Answer 12

Acid rain

Question 13

What is the product of incomplete combustion?

Answer 13

Carbon monoxide

Question 14

What is the great Oxigynation event?

Answer 14

It refers to the period of time where the Cyano-bacteria produced oxygen

Question 15

Cyano bacteria produced oxygen but it didn’t go into the atosphere straight away. where did it go?

Answer 15

It reacted and was captured by the iron in rocks wich produced iron oxide

Question 16

Cyano bacteria produced oxygen but it didn’t go into the atosphere straight away. where did it go?(2):

Answer 16

• It reacted and was captured by the iron in rocks wich produced iron oxide
• Once all the oxygen was trapped, the excess oxygen entered the atmosphere

Question 17

The atmosphere(definition):

Answer 17

The envelope of gases surrounding the earth or another planet

Question 18

Atmospheric functions(3):

Answer 18

• Absorbs and interacts with harmful electromagnetic radiation
• Keeps the earth warm
• Protects from the suns rays

Question 19

Fossil fuels(definition):

Answer 19

An unrenewable energy source that has been around for millions of years

Question 20

What do all fossil fuels contain?(2):

Answer 20

• Carbon

- Hydrogen

Question 21

Name 4 atmospheric pollutants:

Answer 21

• Carbon monoxide
• Methane
• Sulfur dioxide
• Particulates

Question 22

Why do we not worry abot the amount of water vapour in the atosphere?

Answer 22

The water cycle removes ift from the atmosphere

Question 23

Methane levels increase because…(2):

Answer 23

• Increased population leads to increased intensive farming

- Increased landfill and waste decomposition by bacteria

Question 24

Carbon dioxide levels increase because of…(5):

Answer 24

• Complete combustion
• Respiration
• Fossil fuels
• Decomposition
• Deforrestation

Question 25

Global Warming (definition):

Answer 25

Refers to the increase in the earth’s teperature

Question 26

Activities that contribute to climate change(4):

Answer 26

• Fossil fuel combustion
• Vehicle emissions
• Deforrestation
• Improper waste management

Question 27

What increases carbon dioxide in the sea?

Answer 27

Number of species in the sea that respire

Question 28

Sustainability (definition):

Answer 28

The avoidance of depletion of natural resources in order to mantain an ecological balance in our global environment

Question 29

Climate Change (definition):

Answer 29

When the temperature of the world around us changes incuding the temperature of the sea

Question 30

Carbon monoxide:

Answer 30

High concentrations of gas can kill

Question 31

Sulfur dioxide/ Oxides of nitrogen can cause(4):

Answer 31

• Resriction of the airways
• Damage to deep portion of lungs
• head aches
• nausea

Question 32

Particulates can…(3):

Answer 32

• Aggravate lungs
• Causing asthma attacks
• Decreased lung function

Question 33

What process increases the atmospheric concentration of Oxygen?

Answer 33

Photosynthesis

Question 34

Photosynthetic organisms- The Rise of Oxygen in the Earth’s Atmosphere [3]:

Answer 34

• Algae were the first photosynthetic organisms to evolve. This happened about 2.5-2.7 billion years ago.
• Photosynthesising plants then began to evolve over the next billion years. This led to an ever-increasing rate of oxygen accumulating in the atmosphere.
• More complex life forms, such as animals, began to evolve once a threshold concentration of oxygen was reached.

Question 35

Photosynthesis equation:

Answer 35

6CO₂ + 6H₂O = C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂

Question 36

What are three factors that caused atmospheric carbon dioxide to decrease? [3]:

Answer 36

• The evolution of marine animals removed carbonates from the oceans as the animals used these to build their shells and skeletons.
• Carbon dioxide is one of the reactants of the equation for photosynthesis so, the photosynthetic action of algae and plants removed carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
• The formation of oceans removed large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. qOnce dissolved in the oceans, some of this carbon dioxide reacted with seawater to give carbonate precipitates.