CC17 Earth and the Atmosphere Flashcards
How can oxygen be tested for?
Relights a glowing splint
What gases made up the Earths initial atmosphere
Large amount of carbon dioxide, water vapour, small amounts of other gases
What happened to the water vapour as the earth cooled?
Water vapour condensed forming oceans
What affect did the formation of the oceans have on the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?
Carbon dioxide dissolves in water so some dissolved and the amount in the atmosphere decreased
How did the growth of primitive plant affect the atmosphere?
They used carbon dioxide and released oxygen in photosynthesis
What is the composition of our atmosphere today?
Nitrogen about 78%, Oxygen 21%, 1% other gases
Name 3 greenhouse gases
Carbon dioxide, methane and water vapour
What is the greenhouse effect
Greenhouse gases absorb heat radiated from the earth and release it keeping the earth warm
Name 2 effects of global warming
Polar ice caps melting, sea levels rising
Where did the gases that fomed our early atmosphere come from?
They were produced by volcanic activity.
What gas, in today’s atmosphere was missing from our early atmosphere?
oxygen
What does correlation mean?
There is a link between them. (eg. As one increases so does the other)
When did oxygen begin to be formed in our atmosphere?
When the first plants began photosynthesising
What do greenhouse gases do?
Trap heat in our atmosphere
Name one man made cause of the greenhouse effect
Deforestation
What has happened to the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere in the last 200 years?
It has increased
What human activityhas increased the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere?
Burning fossil fuels
What human activity, other than burning fossil fuels, might have increased the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere?
Respiration (as population increases so does this)
If a sample of the atmosphere is reaccted with copper, what gas will react?
Oxygen
If all the oxygen is removed from a sample of the atmosphere how much is removed?
0.21
