Chapter C13- The Earth's Atmosphere Flashcards
What does one theory of how the first atmosphere was formed suggest?
What then happened to water vapour?
How were the first oceans formed?
What does another theory suggest about how water was formed?
What was the Earth’s early atmosphere formed by?
What gas did the Earth’s early atmosphere probably consist mainly of?
What four other gases might there also have been?
What happened as plants spread over the Earth?
What did this then enable and what did they rely on?
That volcanoes released carbon dioxide, water vapour and nitrogen and these gases formed the early atmosphere
It condensed in the atmosphere as the Earth gradually cooled down, and fell as rain
When the water collected in hollows in the crust as the rock solidified
That comets could also have brought water to Earth, as they melted when they hit the Earth’s surface
Volcanic activity
Carbon dioxide
Nitrogen and water vapour and traces of methane and ammonia
The levels of oxygen in the atmosphere increased
The first animals forms to evolve, relying on plants and algae for food.
What happened to the earliest living microorganisms as a result of the increased oxygen?
Why was this and what happened to them?
What are the gas percentages in today’s atmosphere for the following gases:
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Argon
Carbon dioxide
What other gases are there in the atmosphere?
How much of the sun’s energy is reflected and where to?
They couldn’t tolerate a high oxygen concentration
Because they’d evolved without it and so largely died out
78%
21%
- 9%
- 04%
Traces of water vapour and other noble gases
Almost 30% is reflected back into space from the atmosphere and surface.
What do greenhouse gases do in the atmosphere and give an example?
How does the surface of the Earth cool down?
What do greenhouse gases then do?
How does this happen?
What two things therefore occur in the Earth’s atmosphere?
What happens the more energy absorbed?
What heats up the Earth’s surface and what does the Earth then do?
What then happens to the heat energy when it is absorbed by greenhouse gases and what does this do?
What would happen to the Earth without the greenhouse effect?
What have humans increased in consumption over the last century?
They let short-wavelength electromagnetic radiation (eg ultraviolet) pass through
By emitting longer wavelength infrared (thermal) radiation
Absorb infrared radiation
The radiation stimulates the bonds in these molecules to vibrate, bend and stretch more vigorously raising their temperature
Some of the energy radiated from the surface of the Earth gets trapped in the atmosphere and the temperature rises
The higher the proportion of greenhouse gases in the air
The sun and the heat rays are then reflected back into space
It’s then re-radiated in all directions by the molecules further heating up the Earth’s surface
These greenhouse gases wouldn’t absorb energy radiated from the Earth’s surface
The amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere has greatly increased.
What three things are more fossil fuels than ever used to make?
What has this therefore enormously increased?
What happens when fossil fuels are burnt?
What happens as a result of land being cleared for timber and farms?
What then also happens if the trees are burned or left to rot?
How is methane produced from cattle?
How is methane produced from landfill sites?
What are human activities causing the release of?
What are two examples of this and what does this cause?
What has increased as the percentage of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased?
Electricity, heat homes and run cars
The amount of carbon dioxide produced
Carbon that’s been locked up for millions of years is released as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere
There are fewer trees to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by photosynthesis
Additional carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere
From the growing number of grazing cattle, and from their decomposing waste
The increasing human population produces more waste to dispose of in landfill sites, which are another source of methane gas
The release of large amounts of carbon dioxide
Including deforestation and increased use of energy causing global warming
The Earth’s mean temperature.
What has happened to sea levels and what are the two contributing factors?
What two outcomes may be caused as a result?
What two other things in the climate might be changed?
What will happen to wildlife species and what will happen to some?
What will therefore happen as a result of rapid changes in the global climate?
What are scientists searching for and why (relating to climate change)?
What is one source to find this?
What can scientists then do as a result and why?
Rising sea levels as a result of melting ice caps and expansion of the warmer oceans
Flooding of low-lying land and increased coastal erosion
Changes in temperature and the amount, timing and distribution of rainfall
Changes to the distribution of wildlife species, with some becoming extinct
It will put ecosystems around the world under stress
Scientists are searching for hard evidence of the link between the levels of carbon dioxide and the climate
Ice cores drilled from Greenland’s ice sheet, which has gasses trapped inside
Analyse the trapped air to find out how the composition of the gases in the atmosphere has changed over time.
What will happen to extreme weather events as a result of climate change and give an example?
What did photosynthesis by algae plants do and when?
What two things also removed carbon dioxide from the early atmosphere?
How was any ammonia and methane removed from the Earth’s early atmosphere?
When was this only possible?
What three other gases are present in todays atmosphere?
What does the vast majority of evidence about global warming agree?
Increase in common extreme weather events, such as more frequent as severe storms
Decreased the percentage of carbon dioxide in the early atmosphere
The formation of sedimentary rocks and fossil fuels that contain carbon
Removed by reactions with oxygen
Once oxygen had been formed by photosynthesis
Small proportions of various other gases including carbon dioxide, water vapour and noble gases
That increased proportions of greenhouse gases from human activities will increase average global temperatures.
What does reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere rely on?
How will this be mainly achieved?
Why are changes needed to our greenhouse emissions?
What are three examples of this occurring?
What are particulates?
What are two problems caused by particulates?
What does carbon monoxide cause?
What do nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide cause?
What does carbon dioxide cause?
Reducing the use of fossil fuels
By using alternative sources of energy and conserving energy
Because of potential risks arising from global climate changes
Rising sea levels, threats to ecosystems and different patterns of food production around the world
Solid particles of soot (carbon) and unburnt fuel
Global dimming and respiratory problems
Carbon monoxide poisoning and are toxic
Acid rain
Global warming.
