Chemistry of the Atmosphere

Question 1

How were gas originally released in the atmosphere?

Answer 1

Volcanoes erupting

Question 2

What happened to form the oceans?

Answer 2

Water vapour condensed and fell as rain and collected in hollows

Question 3

How was lots of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere?

Answer 3

Dissolved in the oceans and went through a series of reactions to form carbon precipitates that formed sediments on the seabed

Question 4

How was CO2 taken in by plants?

Answer 4

Algae evolved and absorbed CO2 to carry out photosynthesis

Question 5

How did carbon become trapped in fossil fuels and rocks?

Answer 5

Plants/animals die and fall to the seabed and get buried in sediment
Become compressed and form sedimentary rock, oil and gas- trapping carbon

Question 6

How is crude oil and natural gas formed?

Answer 6

Deposits of plankton

These fossil fuels form reservoirs under the seabed

Question 7

What is coal and limestone?

Answer 7

Sedimentary rocks

Question 8

What is the symbol equation for photosynthesis?

Answer 8

6CO2 + 6H2O —–> 6O2 + C6H12O6

Question 9

What are the three greenhouse gases?

Answer 9

Carbon dioxide
Methane
Water vapour

Question 10

How does the greenhouse effect work?

Answer 10

Greenhouse gases are trapped in the earth’s atmosphere
They absorb long wavelength radiation
The re-radiate it in all directions
Reflected back off the earth
It is thermal radiation so it heats the earth’s surface

Question 11

How does deforestation affect the amount of greenhouse gases?

Answer 11

Fewer trees means less C02 removed via photosynthesis

Question 12

How does burning fossil fuels affect the amount of greenhouse gases?

Answer 12

Carbon that was locked up is now released

Question 13

How does agriculture affect the amount of greenhouse gases?

Answer 13

More farm animals produce more methane

Question 14

How does creating waste affect the amount of greenhouse gases?

Answer 14

More landfills and more waste from agriculture means more C02 and methane released by decomposition of waste

Question 15

What is causing the global warming?

Answer 15

The extra CO2 from human activities is increasing global temperatures leading to climate change

Question 16

What are the consequences of global warming?

Answer 16

Melting- sea levels rising, flooding
Changes in rainfall patterns- too much, too little
Frequency and severity of storms
Changes in temperature- amount of water, distribution of species

Question 17

What are carbon footprints?

Answer 17

A measure of the amount of CO2 and other greenhouse gases released over the full life cycle of something

Question 18

What are the ways of reducing carbon footprints?

Answer 18

Renewable or nuclear resources
Using efficient processes
Governments taxing companies on their CO2 emission
Governments put a cap on emissions
technology that captures carbon before released

Question 19

Why is reducing carbon footprints difficult?

Answer 19

Carbon capture and storage is a new idea and at its development stage
Many renewable energy resources are expensive
Governments worry reducing CO2 could impact economic growth
Hard to get people to make changes

Question 20

How does fossil fuels release gases?

Answer 20

Hydrocarbons are oxidised so CO2 and water vapour are released

Question 21

How are particulates produced?

Answer 21

In incomplete combustion there isn’t enough oxygen so not all the fuel burns
So unburned hydrocarbons are released
Carbon monoxide can be produced

Question 22

What can happen if particulates are inhaled?

Answer 22

Can get stuck in lungs and cause damage, leading to respiratory problems

Question 23

How are particulates bad for the environment?

Answer 23

Reflect sunlight back into space so less light reaches earth causing global diming

Question 24

How is carbon monoxide dangerous?

Answer 24

Can stop blood from carrying oxygen
Binds to haemoglobin so less oxygen can be transported
Lack of oxygen can lead to fainting, coma, death

Question 25

When is sulphur dioxide released?

Answer 25

During combustion of fossil fuels that contain sulfur impurities so sulfur becomes oxidised

Question 26

How is nitrogen dioxide created?

Answer 26

Reaction between nitrogen and oxygen in the air

Caused by heat of burning

Question 27

What happens when sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide mixes?

Answer 27

Mix with water in clouds to form dilute sulphuric and nitric acid, forming acid rain

Question 28

Why is acid rain bad?

Answer 28

Kills plants

Damages buildings