Chemistry - Chains, Energy and Resources - F322 - Resources (4)

Question 1

Without greenhouse gases, under which conditions would we be living?

Answer 1

Without greenhouse gases, our planet would be covered in ice with an average temperature 35oC lower than at present.

Question 2

What is the most abundant greenhouse gas?

Answer 2

Water vapour is the most abundant greenhouse gas.

Question 3

What causes atmospheric water vapour?

Answer 3

Evaporation of bodies of water.

Question 4

What is the second most abundant greenhouse gas?

Answer 4

Carbon dioxide is the second most abundant greenhouse gas.

Question 5

What causes carbon dioxide?

Answer 5

Volcanic erruptions, respiration of animals, burning organic matter.

Question 6

What is the third most abundant greenhouse gas?

Answer 6

Methane is the third most abundant greenhouse gas.

Question 7

Why is methane so abundant?

Answer 7

Emitted during the production of coal, natural gas and oil; a product of rotting waste in landfill; released from certain animals, such as cows, as a by-product of digestion.

Question 8

What is the global warming potential (GWP)?

Answer 8

The global warming potential (GWP) of a trace gas is its ability to cause global warming.

Question 9

What was agreed in the Kyoto protocol?

Answer 9

In the Kyoto protocol over 100 countries agreed to cut emissions of six greenhouse gases by 5% by 2012.

Question 10

What is carbon capture and storage?

Answer 10

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) or sequestration captures carbon dioxide from power stations and stores it away safely, instead of it being released into the atmosphere.

Question 11

What can act as a sponge for carbon dioxide?

Answer 11

Underground porous rock can act as a sponge for carbon dioxide to stop it leaking away.

Question 12

What would be a good storage for carbon dioxide?

Answer 12

Old oil and gas fields.

Question 13

What is the troposphere?

Answer 13

The troposhpere is the lowest layer of the Earth’s atmosphere, extending from the Earth’s surface to up to about 7km (above the poles) and about 20km (above the tropics).

Question 14

What is the stratosphere?

Answer 14

The stratosphere is the second layer of the Earth’s atmosphere containing the ozone layer, about 10km to 50km above the Earth’s surface.

Question 15

Why is ozone in the troposphere bad?

Answer 15

Ozone near to the Earth’s surface in the troposphere is an air pollutant with harmful effects on the respiratory system of animals.

Question 16

Which UV rays are entirely screened out by the ozone layer?

Answer 16

UVC rays are entirely screened out by the ozone layer.

Question 17

What is the ozone depletion potential?

Answer 17

The ozone depletion potential of a substance is the potential ability to cause damage to the ozone when compared to that of CFCl3 which has an ODP of 1.0.

Question 18

Which environmental action tried to reduce global emissions of CFCs?

Answer 18

The Montreal protocol introduced steps to control global emissions of CFCs.

Question 19

What molecule can contribute to formation of low level ozone?

Answer 19

Nitrogen dioxide can contribute to the formation of low level ozone.

Question 20

What is a typical catalytic converter made of?

Answer 20

A typical catalytic converter is made of platinum, rhodium and palladium and supported on a honeycomb mesh.

Question 21

What type of catalysts are used in diesel engines?

Answer 21

Oxidation catalysts are used in diesel engines to decrease emissions of carbon monoxide and unburnt hydrocarbons, they also remove particulate matter and nitrogen oxides.

Question 22

What type of catalysts are used in petrol engines?

Answer 22

A three-way catalyst is fitted to petrol engines.

Question 23

Define adsorption.

Answer 23

Adsorption is the process that occurs when a gas, liquid or solute is held to the surface of a solid or, more rarely, a liquid.