Climate Flashcards
The Earth’s atmosphere
air
Mixture of nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), argon (<1%) and other gases - carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, etc.
air
Absorbs most of the ultraviolet radiation
Ozone
Plays an important role in sustaining plant life. Too much of this gas does not allow the Earth to cool down
Carbon dioxide
Atmosphere divided into four regions
Troposphere (closest to the surface), Stratosphere (starts at an altitude of 20 kilometers), Mesosphere, Thermosphere
Shapes weather; air temperature decreases with altitude
Troposphere
Air temperature increases with altitude because ozone absorbs UV radiation
Stratosphere
Stratosphere starts at an altitude of _______
20 kilometers
Air temperature decreases with altitude as it contains a small amount of ozone
Mesosphere
Air temperature increases with altitude because oxygen molecules absorb solar radiation
Thermosphere
atmospheric conditions for period of hours or days
Weather
average weather conditions over a long period of time
climate
Gases that cause the gradual warming of the Earth’s atmosphere
Greenhouse gases
80% of human-generated greenhouse gas emissions
Carbon dioxide
Examples of greenhouse gases
Methane (CH4)
Nitrous oxide (N2O)
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
Perfluorocarbons (PFCs)
Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)
The annual world total carbon dioxide emissions from the consumption of energy
86% increase (1980–2018)
______ led the world in CO2 emission
China
_____ leads the world in CO2 emissions per capita
US
has one of the most stringent outdoor air quality standards
US
Stationary sources of outdoor air pollution
power plants, factories, and dry cleaners
Mobile sources of outdoor air pollution
cars, buses, trucks, planes, and trains
Natural sources of outdoor air pollution
windblown dust, volcanic eruptions, and forest fires
Sets standards for six major pollutants
Clean Air Act and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
6 major air pollutants
Carbon monoxide (CO)
Lead (Pb)
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
Ozone (O3)
Sulfur dioxide (SO2)
Particulate matter (PM)
Colorless gas with a strong odor released when fossil fuels are burned.
Sulfur dioxide
A mixture of organic and inorganic solid and liquid particles that are suspended in air
Particulate matter
Components of PM
sulfate, nitrates, ammonia, sodium chloride, carbon, and dust
particles with diameters < 10 microns
particles with diameters < 2.5 micron
PM10, PM2.5
global concern that can affect not only our health but also our climate.
Air pollution
global concern that can affect not only our health but also our climate.
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
Health issues by poor IAQ
Headache, fatigue, and shortness of breath
Sinus congestion, coughing, and sneezing
Eye, nose, throat, and skin irritation
Dizziness and nausea
Factors that influence IAQ
Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system
Sources of indoor air pollutants
Occupants
Additional reasons for recent exposure to indoor air pollutants
Air-tight houses with lower air infiltration/exfiltration
Synthetic building materials
Chemicals
HVAC systems means
Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems
Purposes of HVAC systems
Provide thermal comfort
Heat, cool, humidify, or dehumidify the indoor air
Manage air-contaminants
Create an air flow pattern inside a building
Methods to Manage Contaminants
- Source elimination or removal
- Source substitution
- Proper ventilation
- Exposure control
- Air cleaning
global authority on health issues, including those related to air quality.
World Health Organization (WHO)
Nearly _________ people a year die prematurely from illnesses attributed to air pollution.
7 million
Nearly ______ premature deaths are attributed to indoor air pollution
2 million
Energy use is _________ to standard of living
directly proportional
Oil and natural gas will be fully depleted in ____ years, and coal in ______ years.
50, 300
non-renewable as they are formed from the remains of microbes, plants, and animals that lived millions of
years ago
Fossil fuels
When coal is burnt it produces
Carbon Dioxide, Nitrogen Oxide and mercury compounds
Since coal contains impurities like S and N,
it produces toxic gases during burning
which causes
acid rain and air pollution
made of many different compounds, each with its specific boiling point.
Oil
found above the oil in oil well.
Natural gas
Natural gas is the mixture of ______methane and small amount of other hydrocarbons.
50-90%
uses uranium to create energy
Nuclear fission
When these atoms break apart, the atoms’ nuclear energy is transformed into
thermal energy
A small pellet of uranium-produces about as much energy as burning _______
570 L of oil
a non-renewable resource because once uranium is used , it is gone
Nuclear Energy
Fission of 1 kilogram of uranium releases more energy than does burning ______
3 million kg of coal.
First Electricity Production
20 December, 1951 in Arco, Idaho, USA
First Commercial Use of Nuclear Power plants
June 26, 1954 at Obninsk, Russia
_________ nuclear power plant units in ___ countries produce electricity about ____ GW
442, 32, 384
Under construction: ____ plants with a capacity of 65 GW are in 16 countries.
66
one of the biggest causes of environmental damage on earth
The production and consumption of energy
It leads to large amounts of destruction of natural landscapes and habitants through the
process of fuel extraction, pollution of soil,
climate change
at the heart of many of the world’s current environmental problems, and posses many problems for the sustainable development
Energy
has a pH of 1-5 compared to normal rain water
Acid rain
Acid rain contains large proportion of acids such as
Sulfuric acid and nitric acid
corrodes buildings, bridges, statues and other structures made of metal or stone
Acid rain
kills plants and vegetation by damaging their roots, leading to deforestation in many parts of the world, like Canada and Europe.
Acid rain
The Earth maintains a habitable temperature due to the ____________,
which allows heat from the sun to penetrate our atmosphere, where it is
absorbed by the Earth’s surface or radiated out and reflected back to Earth by
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
Greenhouse effect
naturally occurring gases that pose no harm when they are in balance.
Greenhouse gases
The most important greenhouse gases
carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and
water vapor
According to the ____________ there are several indications
that provide evidence that humans are the cause of global warming rather than it
being due to natural variability
Union of Concerned Scientists
Oceans have absorbed ____ times more heat than the atmosphere resulting in warmer oceans.
20
Indicators that provide evidence that humans are the cause of global warming
Warming oceans, Atmosphere Boundary Shifts, Rising Surface Temperatures
Average global temperatures have increased by ________ over the last century, with the most significant increases occurring in the last 30 years
0.8°C
