Chemicals in air and pollution

Question 1

What are the main components of air in our atmosphere?

Answer 1

Nitrogen 78%
Oxygen 21%
Argon 1%
Carbon dioxide 0.04%
Water vapour 1-4%

Question 2

How can other gases or particles get into the atmosphere?

Answer 2

Natural causes like volcanoes

Human activity like burning fossil fuels

Question 3

What was the Earth’s early atmosphere formed of and how?`

Answer 3

It consisted of mainly carbon dioxide and water vapour. Probably by volcanic activity.

Question 4

How did the atmosphere change to what it is now?

Answer 4

Water vapour cooled and formed oceans
The evolution of photosynthesising organisms added oxygen and removed CO2
The CO2 then turned into sedimentary rocks and fossil fuels

Question 5

What role did humans have in the changing of the atmospheres composition?

Answer 5

Adding small amounts of pollutants like carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxides
Extra CO2 and small solid particulates (carbon)

Question 6

What affect do pollutants like these have?

Answer 6

Directly harmful to humans (carbon monoxide reduces the amount of oxygen the blood can carry
Indirectly harmful as are harmful to the environment (sulfur dioxide causes acid rain)