chemistry of the atmosphere Flashcards
What percentage of the earth’s gas composition is nitrogen?
78%.
What percentage of earth’s gas composition is oxygen?
21%.
Approximately how long has the earth’s gas composition been the same for?
200 million years.
What other planets was earth’s atmosphere similar to 1 billion years ago?
Mars and Venus (mainly CO2).
What produced nitrogen in the earth’s early atmosphere?
Intense volcanic activity.
What condensed to form oceans in the earth’s early atmosphere?
Water vapour.
Which gas was dissolved in water in the earth’s early atmosphere?
CO2.
When carbonates were precipitated in the earth’s early atmosphere, what was produced and what was reduced?
Sediments were produced and it reduced CO2 levels.
2.7 billion years ago, what did algae and plants produce and decrease?
Produced oxygen and decreased CO2 by photosynthesis.
What do greenhouse gases maintain?
Temperatures on Earth that are high enough to support life.
What passes through the earth’s atmosphere in the greenhouse gas effect?
Electromagnetic radiation from the sun.
What form of radiation is radiated out from the Earth as heat?
Infrared radiation.
Some of ______________ is absorbed by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere…
The infrared radiation.
What are 4 human activities that contribute to increasing greenhouse gases?
~Driving
~Consuming electricity
~Raising livestock like cows
~Decay of organic waste in landfill sites
What are 4 potential effects of climate change?
~Extinction of species
~Raising sea levels due to melting ice caps
~Migration
~Decrease in major crop yields
What is a carbon footprint?
The total amount of CO2 and other greenhouse gases emitted over the full life cycle of a product, service or event.
What are 3 ways of reducing CO2 and methane emissions?
~Using less electricity
~Reducing use of transportation methods
~Planting more trees
What is a problem with planting more trees to reduce emissions?
Could take away land for growing crops.
What do most fuels contain?
Carbon and/or hydrogen.
What 5 things are released into the atmosphere when a fuel burns?
~Water vapour
~Carbon monoxide
~Oxides of nitrogen
~Solid particles
~Unburned hydrocarbons
What 3 things are released during incomplete combustion?
~Solid particles of soot
~Carbon monoxide
~Unburnt fuel
During combustion, carbon and hydrogen fuels are…
Oxidised to form CO2 and water.
Why is carbon monoxide not easy to detect?
It is colourless and odourless but very toxic.
What do sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen cause?
Acid rain and respiratory problems in humans.
What do particulates cause?
Global dimming and human health problems.
