Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Chemsitry > Chemistry Of The Atmosphere > Flashcards

Chemistry Of The Atmosphere Flashcards

1
Q

How much Nitrogen is in the air?

A

78% Nitrogen

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

How much Oxygen is in the air?

A

21% Oxygen

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is the rest of the air made up of?

A

0,9% Argon
0.04% Carbon Dioxide

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

How do scientists know the historic composition of the air?

A

By analysing the tiny air bubbles trapped in ice cores taken at the poles.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Why is it difficult to gather evidence of the early atmosphere?

A

Because it happened 4.6 billion years ago.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What was the surface of the early earth like?

A

It was molten for millions of years during which time there was no atmosphere surrounding the planet.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What happened to the molten atmosphere?

A

Eventually, cooling began to take effect and allow for molten materials to slowly solidify forming land masses.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Where did volcanoes form?

A

On land masses.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What did one theory of how the early atmosphere formed suggest?

A

One theory of how the early atmosphere formed suggests that the volcanoes released gases from the Earth’s interior through violent eruptions.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What did eruptions release into the atmosphere?

A

These eruptions released large amounts of carbon dioxide and water vapour, as well as nitrogen, hydrogen, and other gases which may have included small proportions of ammonia and methane.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What did earths gravity do to these gases?

A

Earth’s gravity prevented the gases from escaping into outer space and they formed the early atmosphere.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What did the past atmosphere relate to?

A

It is thought that the atmosphere at that moment in Earth’s history was similar to that of Venus or Mars today which consist mainly of CO2.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What was the early atmosphere thought top made mainly out of?

A
  • The early atmosphere, therefore, is thought to have contained mainly CO2 and water vapour.
  • There was little or no oxygen present.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What happened in the atmosphere when conditions cooled?

A

When conditions cooled sufficiently, the water vapour later condensed and fell to the surface of the Earth, forming the oceans.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is carbon dioxide?

A

Carbon Dioxide is a water soluble has and dissolves readily.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What happened when water was condensed?

A

When the water vapour condensed large amounts of CO2 dissolved in the oceans.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What happened to carbonate substances?

A

Carbonate substances were precipitated during this process which later formed sediments.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

How did the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere become reduced?

A

Primitive plants and algae began photosynthesising which used up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and released oxygen.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

When did algae first evolve?

A

Algae first evolved around 2.7 billion years ago and during the next billion years or so small green plants began to appear.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What happened in order for more complex life forms to evolve?

A

Level of oxygen began to increase.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

When did the oxygen levels stop increasing?

A

This trend continued until around 200 million years ago the composition of the atmosphere reached similar characteristics as today: around 20% oxygen, 80% nitrogen and tiny amounts of other gases.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What is responsible for 90% of all the atmospheric oxygen produced?

A

Marine algae.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What did animals do which transferred carbon to their tissues including bones and shells?

A

Animals fed on plants.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What did organisms remains form?

A

Sedimentary rocks.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What happened with the heat and pressure above the fossils?

A

Over millions of years, the heat and pressure turned the dead organisms into fossil fuels, such as crude oil, natural gas and coal.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

What happens when short wavelength radiation from the sun strikes the Earth’s surface?

A

It is absorbed and re-emitted from the surface of the Earth as infrared radiation which has a longer wavelength.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Where is much of the radiation trapped?

A

It is trapped inside the earth’s atmosphere by greenhouses gases which can absorb and store the energy.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

What do greenhouse gases do?

A

Greenhouse gases maintain the temperatures on Earth which is known as the greenhouse effect.

29
Q

What would happen to earth if we didn’t have greenhouses gases?

A

Without these greenhouse gases, the temperature on Earth would not be able to support life.

30
Q

What is the enhanced greenhouse effect?

A

Increasing levels of carbon dioxide and methane, although present in only small amounts, are causing significant upset to the Earth’s natural conditions by trapping extra heat energy.

31
Q

Where does carbon dioxide come from?

A

Combustion of wood and fossil fuels, respiration of plants and animals, thermal decomposition of carbonate rocks and the effect of acids on carbonates.

32
Q

Where does methane come from?

A

Digestive processes of animals, decomposition of vegetation, bacterial action in swamps and in rice paddy fields.

33
Q

What is human activity increasing the demand for?

A

Human population is increasing and with it the global demand for food, water, consumer goods, housing and energy which are supplied with greater and more widespread industrialisation.

34
Q

What does industrialisation create?

A

This creates more waste so more landfill sites are needed which increases the amount of methane by decomposition.

35
Q

How are increased energy demands met?

A

The increased energy demands are met in most cases by the burning of fossil fuels which produces CO2:
Fossil fuel + oxygen → H2O + CO2 ( + energy).

36
Q

What does deforestation mean for the planet?

A

Added to this is the effect of deforestation on the amount of CO2 as large areas of forested land are being destroyed for building and agricultural activities.

37
Q

What can increasing agricultural activities also increase?

A

Increasing agricultural activities also cause an increase in methane production.

38
Q

What does peer-reviewed evidence mean?

A

The evidence collected by scientists is peer-reviewed by other scientists to make sure that the results are valid and they are confident with the conclusions made.

39
Q

What are the effects of climate change?

A
  • Temperature increases are leading to climate change.
  • Climate change is when there is a long term shift in worldwide weather patterns and conditions.
40
Q

What are examples of the effects of climate change?

A
  • rising sea levels
  • frequent and intense drought
  • storms
  • extreme heat waves and rainfall
41
Q

What effect does climate change have on rising sea levels?

A
  • The melting of the polar ice caps and glaciers is leading to rising sea levels.
  • This results in destructive erosion to coastal regions, flooding of wetlands and habitat destruction for birds, fish and plants.
  • Low lying cities are likely to see increased flooding and permanent loss of usable land without expensive barrier systems.
  • Increased soil salinity is also a consequence of rising sea levels.
42
Q

What effect does climate change have on frequent and intense droughts?

A
  • Some regions are seeing devastating droughts leading to crop failure and collapse of agricultural production.
  • Food production is greatly compromised leading to hardship and starvation.
43
Q

What effect does climate change have on storms?

A
  • The intensity of storms is increasing.
  • Warmer ocean surfaces mean more moisture is entering the atmosphere so storms and hurricanes are more energetic and destructive.
44
Q

What effect does climate change have on extreme heat waves and rainfall?

A
  • Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent resulting in great loss of life and destruction of infrastructure and ecosystems.
  • Changing rainfall patterns are leading to uneven distribution of freshwater supplies.
  • Lack of reliable freshwater supplies results in economic and political instability as neighbouring countries compete for dwindling resources.
45
Q

What is a life cycle assessment?

A

A life cycle assessment or LCA is a technique used to assess the environmental impact associated with all the stages in the life cycle of a product, a service or an event.

46
Q

What is an example of something a life cycle could be based on?

A

This could be something like a personal computer, a car, or a wedding.

47
Q

What activities does a LCA consider?

A
  • extraction
  • manufactured
  • distributed
  • disposal
48
Q

What is one way to quantify emissions in terms of a carbon footprint?

A
  • The total amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emitted over the full life cycle of a product, service or event.
49
Q

How can carbon dioxide be reduced?

A

CO2 emissions can be reduced by using renewable energy supplies such as solar or wind energy instead of burning fossil fuels.

50
Q

What are other ways humans can reduce daily transport?

A
  • Cutting out unnecessary journeys.
  • Using public transport rather than private cars.
  • Reducing consumption of meat.
  • Buying locally sourced foods to reduce food miles (the distance food travels from production to consumption).
  • Carbon off-setting: paying for reforestation projects to compensate for carbon emissions from flying for example
    Switching to electric vehicles.
  • Recycling and re-using materials.
51
Q

What is climate migration?

A

Climate mitigation refers to adapting to a changing climate rather than trying to change the climate, for instance:
- Changing the type of crops grown in different regions.
- Investing in flood defence systems or building houses on stilts.
- Changing building infrastructure to make it more resistant to extreme weather.
- Repurposing land vulnerable to flooding.
- Using heat sinks to make buildings more efficient.

52
Q

What are examples of fossil fuels?

A

Coal, oil, natural gas, oil shales and tar sands.

53
Q

Where are non-renewable fossil fuels obtained from?

A

They are obtained from Crude oil by fractional distillation.

54
Q

What does natural gas consist of?

A

Methane, CH4.

55
Q

What does the burning of fossil fuels release?

A

The burning of fossil fuels releases the gases carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and oxides of sulfur.

56
Q

What does incomplete combustion give rise to?

A

In addition, incomplete combustion of the fuels gives rise to unburned hydrocarbons and carbon particulates.

57
Q

What is a fuel?

A

A fuel is a substance which releases energy in an exothermic reaction.

58
Q

What do hydrocarbon compounds undergo?

A

Hydrocarbon compounds undergo complete and incomplete combustion.

59
Q

When does incomplete combustion occur?

A

Incomplete combustion occurs when there is insufficient oxygen to burn.

60
Q

What is Carbon Monoxide?

A

Carbon monoxide is an extremely poisonous gas as it combines with haemoglobin in blood and prevents it from carrying oxygen.

61
Q

Why is carbon dioxide malevolent?

A

It is particularly malevolent as it is colourless and odourless, making it difficult to detect.

62
Q

What does a lack of oxygen supply to the brain mean?

A

A lack of oxygen supply to the brain can lead to fainting, coma or in worst case scenarios, even death.

63
Q

What problems can particulates called?

A
  • If they are inhaled they can damage the lungs and cause respiratory problems.
  • They can cover buildings and statues, making them look unclean and accelerating corrosion.
  • They can reflect sunlight back into space reducing the amount of light reaching the earth, this is called global dimming.
64
Q

What is sulfur dioxide?

A

Sulfur dioxide is a colourless, pungent smelling gas that is a major air pollutant responsible for acid rain.

65
Q

What does sulfur dioxide do when it mixes with clouds?

A

The sulfur dioxide released mixes with clouds and readily dissolves in rainwater.

66
Q

What does acid rain cause?

A

Acid rain causes corrosion to metal structures, buildings and statues made of carbonate rocks.

67
Q

Where do oxides of nitrogen come from?

A

From vehicle exhausts and also contribute to acid rain.

68
Q

When are oxides of nitrogen produced?

A

They are produced when nitrogen and oxygen react at high temperatures which are reached in a vehicle engine.

69
Q

What do oxides also produce?

A

Aside from acid rain, oxides of nitrogen produce photochemical smog and breathing difficulties, in particular for people suffering from asthma.

Chemsitry (10 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions