Chemistry of the atmosphere Flashcards
What is the main element composition of our air.
Oxygen and nitrogen
What was the Earth’s early atmosphere mainly made of?
It was mainly made of carbon dioxide due to volcanic activity.
And very little other elements such as h2o (water vapour), methane, ammonia.
How was the ocean formed?
As the planet cooled down the water vapour condensed.
How was oxygen slowly increasing in our atmosphere.
When the ocean was formed bacteria and algae and other simple organisms evolved.
Some were able to photosynthesize creating glucose and oxygen and reducing carbon dioxide.
How is carbon dioxide taken in by plants?
Carbon dioxide used by photosynthesis.
Animals eat plants take in the carbon.
Why has methane and ammonia decreased over millions of years?
They have decreased due to the reactions with oxygen over time
Give a summary of the formation of the Earth’s atmosphere.
The Earth’s atmosphere was mainly CO2 due to volcanic activity and some water vapour.
As the Earth cooled water vapour condensed forming oceans
CO2 dissolved in the oceans and was taken in by organisms and locked up by sedimentary rocks and fossil fuels.
Photosynthesis took in CO2 and made oxygen.
Other gases decreased such as methane as it reacted with oxygen.
Nitrogen is unreactive so it has built up over time.
Explain the greenhouse effect.
The Sun heats up the earth with infrared radiation.
Some of the heat is reflected back into space or absorbed by the earth’s surface.
Molecules of greenhouse gases absorb the infrared radiation trapping it in the Earth’s atmosphere.
What happens to the short and long wavelengths of radiation during greenhouse effect?
Short wavelengths pass through the atmosphere.
Long wavelengths are absorbed by greenhouse gases
What are the greenhouse gases?
H2O - Water
CH4 - Methane
CO2 - Carbon dioxide
What does infrared radiation do to the greenhouse gas molecules?
IR radiation makes the bonds in these molecules vibrate, bend, and stretch more vigorously, raising their temperature creating the greenhouse effect.
What is carbon footprint?
The carbon footprint is the total amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emitted over the full life cycle of a product, service, or event.
How does human activity increase carbon dioxide emissions?
Deforestation
Burning fossil fuels.
How does human activity increase methane emissions.
Grazing, cattle, landfill leads to decomposing waste releasing methane.
What are ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions?
Pumping carbon dioxide into the ground.
Plant based diet - reduces demand for beef (methane)
Insulating homes.
Planting trees.
