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Chemistry > Chemistry of the Atmosphere > Flashcards

Chemistry of the Atmosphere Flashcards

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1
Q

Have the theories about the composition of the Earth’s early atmosphere stayed mostly the same over time?

A

no

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2
Q

What is the chemical name for the main compound in limestone?

A

calcium carbonate

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3
Q

What process removed carbon dioxide from the atmosphere millions of years ago?

A

photosynthesis

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4
Q

photosynthesis:

________ _________ + water → glucose + oxygen

A

carbon dioxide

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5
Q

photosynthesis:

carbon dioxide + _____ → glucose + oxygen

A

water

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6
Q

photosynthesis:

carbon dioxide + water → _______ + oxygen

A

glucose

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7
Q

photosynthesis:

carbon dioxide + water → glucose + ______

A

oxygen

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8
Q

There is limited evidence of the early atmosphere because the time scale is very long, covering __________ years. Which number completes the sentence?

A

4.6 billion

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9
Q

Which gas made up most of the Earth’s early atmosphere?

A

carbon dioixde

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10
Q

Name the process that produced the oceans from the water vapour in Earth’s early atmosphere.

A

condensation

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11
Q

In what form is the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

A

gas

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12
Q

Earth’s atmosphere was formed billions of years ago. What gas is thought to have formed most of the atmosphere at first?

A

carbon dioxide

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13
Q

One theory suggests that Earth’s early atmosphere was much like the atmosphere today on Mars and what other planet?

A

venus

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14
Q

True or false? About 99% of the air in the Earth’s atmosphere is made up of nitrogen and oxygen.

A

true

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15
Q

Earth’s atmosphere was formed billions of years ago. What released the gases into the atmosphere?

A

volcanoes

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16
Q

What gas in our atmosphere is thought to have come from plants and algae alone?

A

oxygen

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17
Q

What process do plants and animals perform that adds carbon dioxide to the atmosphere?

A

respiration

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18
Q

_______ + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water

A

glucose

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19
Q

glucose + _________ → carbon dioxide + water

A

oxygen

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20
Q

glucose + oxygen →_________ _________ + water

A

carbon dioxide

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21
Q

glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + _______

A

water

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22
Q

The __________ is a natural ‘reservoir’ for dissolved carbon dioxide.

A

sea

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23
Q

What sedimentary rock is made from the shells and skeletons of dead marine animals?

A

coal

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24
Q

Over millions of years, plant deposits have been buried and compressed, forming a type of sedimentary rock. What do we call this rock?

A

coal

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25
Q

How do plants remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere? State the name of the process.

A

photosynthesis

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26
Q

What percentage of the air is made up of nitrogen?

A

78%

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27
Q

Algae first produced ________ about 2.7 billion years ago. Soon after that, ________ started appearing in the atmosphere.

A

oxygen

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28
Q

What percentage of the air is made up of oxygen?

A

21%

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29
Q

When plants began to evolve, oxygen levels in the atmosphere __________, which allowed animals to evolve.

A

increased

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30
Q

What sedimentary rock is made up of mainly calcium carbonate?

A

limestone

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31
Q

As the early atmosphere cooled, water vapour __________ to form the first oceans.

A

condensed

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32
Q

What percentage of the air is made up of carbon dioxide and the other noble gases?

A

1%

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33
Q

Coal and oil are two examples of fossil fuels. What is a third?

A

gas

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34
Q

Did carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere increase or decrease when sedimentary rocks and fossil fuels that contain carbon were formed?

A

decrease

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35
Q

What organisms removed carbon dioxide from the early atmosphere?

A

plants

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36
Q

Less than 10% of the Earth’s early atmosphere was made up of the present day’s most abundant atmospheric gas. What is the name of that gas?

A

nitrogen

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37
Q

What process do plants and animals perform that removes oxygen from the atmosphere?

A

respiration

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38
Q

What gas that is important for life today was NOT present in the early atmosphere?

A

oxygen

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39
Q

True or false? There was no oxygen in the early atmosphere

A

true

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40
Q

What process do plants perform that adds oxygen to the atmosphere?

A

photosynthesis

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41
Q

For approximately how many millions of years have the proportions of different gases in the atmosphere been much the same as they are today?

A

200 million years

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42
Q

One theory states that the Earth’s early atmosphere was mainly carbon dioxide with small amounts of water vapour, ammonia and which other gas?

A

nitrogen

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43
Q

What biological process led to a fall in carbon dioxide and rise in oxygen levels of the early atmosphere?

A

photosynthesis

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44
Q

What type of rock is made from layers of ocean sediment cemented together?

A

sedimentary

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45
Q

We __________ fossil fuels, which releases the trapped carbon.

A

burn

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46
Q

There are gases in the Earth’s atmosphere that prevent heat from radiating into space. This is known as the __________ effect.

A

greenhouse

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47
Q

As a result of burning fossil fuels, has the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased or decreased?

A

increased

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48
Q

What environmental problem is the burning of fossil fuels contributing to?

A

global warming

49
Q

Recycling metal directly results in less greenhouse gases such as __________ entering the atmosphere.

A

carbon dioxide

50
Q

What gas is the burning candle producing during combustion?

A

carbon dioxide

51
Q

It is thought that an increase in carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere could lead to a(n) __________ in global temperatures. What word completes the sentence?

A

increase

52
Q

The percentage of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased over the last 100 years. This correlates with the increased use of what type of fuels?

A

fossil

53
Q

True or false? Global climate change is a simple system to model and explain.

A

false

54
Q

What effect does cutting down forests have on the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere?

A

increase levels

55
Q

What effect does the combustion of fossil fuels have on the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere?

A

increases levels

56
Q

Apart from carbon dioxide, name another gas produced by cows that causes global warming.

A

methane

57
Q

True or false? All scientists agree that human activities are causing global warming.

A

false

58
Q

During the combustion of fossil fuels, carbon dioxide is released into the ___________.

A

atmosphere

59
Q

In the burning candle practical, what will happen to the oxygen levels in the sealed glass jar?

A

decrease

60
Q

True or false? All of the greenhouse gases in the earth’s atmosphere are there due to human activities.

A

false

61
Q

Global warming is caused by carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which __________ heat energy back towards the earth.

A

reflects

62
Q

Methane is produced by the decomposition of what?

A

plants

63
Q

Which greenhouse gas is produced in the digestive system of cows?

A

methane

64
Q

Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere ensure that temperatures on Earth stay __________ enough to support life.

A

high

65
Q

Fossil fuels produce a gas when they are burned that adds to the greenhouse effect. What is this gas?

A

carbon dioxide

66
Q

When biofuels are burned they release the same amount of carbon dioxide as was removed from the atmosphere by the plant. Biofuels are therefore described as being carbon __________.

A

neutral

67
Q

What energy supply would be the best alternative to coal for reducing our carbon footprint?

A

renewables

68
Q

What is the chemical symbol for carbon?

A

C

69
Q

True or false? Biofuels are carbon neutral overall.

A

true

70
Q

True or false? Global climate change could affect the times when rainfall occurs.

A

true

71
Q

There is no net release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. That means that this system is… what?

A

carbon neutral

72
Q

What is the benefit in taxing people for their carbon usage?

A

people drive cars less if cheaper forms of transport are available

73
Q

What is the advantage of using carbon capture?

A

less carbon dioxide enter atmosphere, reducing global warming

74
Q

What environmental problem do increased levels of carbon dioxide contribute to?

A

global warming

75
Q

True or false? Global climate change can create temperature and water stress for wildlife, but not typically for humans.

A

false

76
Q

An organisation with a large ‘carbon __________’ is an organisation that causes a lot of greenhouse gases to be given off.

A

footprint

77
Q

Name a process that releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

A

combustion

78
Q

The carbon footprint is the total amount of carbon dioxide and other __________ gases emitted over the full life cycle of a product, service or event.

A

greenhouse

79
Q

what is one of the biggest impact in reducing our carbon footprint?

A

burning fewer fossil fuels

80
Q

A region is experiencing more storms than it used to, and the storms are getting more severe. This is one of the potential effects of… what?

A

global warming

81
Q

Give the formula for carbon monoxide.

A

CO

82
Q

The picture below shows a limestone statue that has been damaged by acid rain because the acid rain contains __________ acid.

A

nitric

83
Q

As well as hydrogen and sometimes sulfur, what element do most fossil fuels contain?

A

carbon

84
Q

Name the toxic gas that is difficult to detect because it is odourless and colourless.

A

carbon monoxide

85
Q

What is the name of the gas which forms by burning fuels and which contributes to global warming?

A

carbon dioxide

86
Q

Carbon monoxide combines irreversibly with haemoglobin in red blood cells. This reduces the ability of the blood to transport which gas?

A

oxygen

87
Q

Acid rain is caused by gases produced from burning _____ _______.

A

fossil fuels

88
Q

If sulfur is present in a fuel, what can it combine with oxygen to form?

A

sulfur dioxide

89
Q

_______ + oxygen → sulfur dioxide

A

sulfur

90
Q

sulfur + ________ → sulfur dioxide

A

oxygen

91
Q

sulfur + oxygen → ________ _________

A

sulfur dioxide

92
Q

As well as diesel, the burning of what other hydrocarbon fuel in transport can contribute to acid rain formation?

A

petrol

93
Q

What chemical do the gases combine with to form acid rain?

A

water

94
Q

As well as oxides of nitrogen, what is the name of the other gas that when released into the atmosphere can cause acid rain?

A

sulfur dioxide

95
Q

In the burning candle practical, what is the black smudge in the jar made from?

A

carbon

96
Q

Name the substance in red blood cells that carbon monoxide from cigarette smoke combines with.

A

haemoglobin

97
Q

What material do we get from trees that is burnt as a fuel and releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere?

A

wood

98
Q

True or false? The burning candle practical proves that there is carbon in candle wax.

A

true

99
Q

Which pollutant gas binds to haemoglobin and prevents it from carrying oxygen?

A

carbon monoxide

100
Q

Particulate release can contribute to less sunlight reaching the Earth’s surface. What is this process known as?

A

global dimming

101
Q

__________ is formed when hydrogen is oxidised during combustion.

A

steam

102
Q

True or false? Soot particles in the atmosphere can cause global dimming as they absorb/reflect some of the light from the Sun.

A

true

103
Q

Whole forests can be damaged by sulfur dioxide pollution as the gas dissolves in atmospheric water vapour. This eventually falls to the ground in the form of ____ ____.

A

acid rain

104
Q

When a fuel is burned, any carbon that does not undergo combustion can be released as particles. What do we call this product?

A

particulates (soot)

105
Q

The products of __________ ___________ are carbon monoxide, carbon and water.

A

incomplete combustion

106
Q

Particulates cause health problems because they damage what body part?

A

lungs (respiratory system)

107
Q

Name the substance found in cigarette smoke that reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.

A

carbon monoxide

108
Q

Oxides of nitrogen (NOx) are produced during the combustion of fuels because of the high __________ at which the fuels are burned.

A

temperatures

109
Q

As well as hydrogen and carbon, what impurity do hydrocarbon fuels sometimes contain?

A

sulfur

110
Q

Which gas produced by burning fossil fuels can cause acid rain?

A

sulfur dioxide

111
Q

What gas must be present for burning to happen?

A

oxygen

112
Q

True or false? Carbon monoxide is poisonous because it combines reversibly with haemoglobin in red blood cells.

A

false

113
Q

Name a pollutant gas that produces respiratory problems.

A

carbon monoxide

114
Q

In the case of incomplete or partial combustion, what is the name of the gas that might be formed instead of carbon dioxide?

A

carbon monoxide

115
Q

During combustion what type of chemical reaction takes place?

A

oxidation

116
Q

Burning fuels such as hydrocarbons is useful because it releases light and what kind of energy?

A

thermal energy

117
Q

Hydrogen can be used as a fuel. Does hydrogen cause more or less pollution than petrol or diesel when it is burned?

A

less

118
Q

Water is the only _______ ________ formed when hydrogen is burned.

A

waste product

119
Q

When the sulphur in fuel is oxidised, what is the chemical name of the atmospheric pollutant that is produced?

A

sulfur dioxide

Chemistry (9 decks)

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