Chem Final Flashcards
What is a GHG?
Any gas that has the property of absorbing heat energy emitted from Earth’s surface and reradiating it back to Earth’s surface.
Endothermic vs Exothermic Rxn?
Endothermic more energy is used to break bonds than released forming bonds. Plants often use these because the sun has plenty of energy.
Exothermic more energy is released from forming bonds than breaking bonds.
Cations vs Anions? What is the formula for phosphate and nitrate ions?
Cations have more protons than electrons, they are denoted by a +.
Anions have more electrons than protons, they are denoted by a -.
Po4^3-
NO3-
These are both polyatomic, covalent bonded anions. They both important nutrients in soil.
What is the chemistry behind the eutrophication process?
Soil tends to be negatively charged, thus it holds cations more tightly than anions.
Nitrate and phosphate anions in fertilizer are repelled by soil because it is also negative. Nutrients then run off to the ocean. Eutrophication occurs when nutrients get into oceans, which feeds algae, which blocks sunlight causing other plants to die. Bacteria digest dead plants which releases CO2. This depletes the O2 in water and organisms respire and thus die.
Draw a carbonate ion
CO3^2- (google structure)
Covalent vs Ionic bond? How can we use electronegativity to determine the bond type?
Ionic occurs between metals and nonmetals. Covalent occurs between 2 nonmetals.
Electronegativity
<.5 nonpolar covalent
.5 - 2.0 polar covalent
>2.0 ionic
Why coal?
Coal is the most plentiful fossil fuel. It is also the most impure. Many minerals are left behind after burning.
What is electronegativity?
Tendency of an atom to attract shared electrons when forming a chemical bond. It is determined by both its atomic number and valence electron’s distance from the nucleus.
What is a free radical?
An atom or molecule with an unpaired electron. As such they are highly reactive.
What is the breakdown of a soil particle?
SiO2 is the most common mineral. Si and O are the most common elements within soil.
Why is clay important?
Clay repels anions and attracts cations. Forms tetrahedral shapes. Carbon attaches itself to clay which then protects it from respiration. Clay has polar bonds which are surrounded by a negative charge. It also attracts carbon in waterways.
Metals/metalloids/nonmetals?
Metals are good conductors and generally solid at room temp. They are malleable.
Metalloids also known as semiconductors, don’t fit into either category.
Nonmetals are bad conductors and solids easily crack and break.
What is the Utah inversion?
Inversions occur when snow reflects heat and cold and hot air thus invert. This then creates a lid which traps pollutants like PM 2.5, creating bad air quality.
What is particulate matter? What are the types we covered? Why is it dangerous?
Particulate matter is tiny particles, measured in nanometers. PM2.5 is dangerous because it can easily enter bloodstream or lungs. PM10 is 4x larger than 2.5 and thus is less dangerous.
What is radiative efficiency?
Difference between incoming radiation energy and outgoing energy.
