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Climate Flashcards

1
Q

The Earth’s atmosphere

A

air

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2
Q

Mixture of nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), argon (<1%) and other gases - carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, etc.

A

air

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3
Q

Absorbs most of the ultraviolet radiation

A

Ozone

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4
Q

Plays an important role in sustaining plant life. Too much of this gas does not allow the Earth to cool down

A

Carbon dioxide

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5
Q

Atmosphere divided into four regions

A

Troposphere (closest to the surface), Stratosphere (starts at an altitude of 20 kilometers), Mesosphere, Thermosphere

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6
Q

Shapes weather; air temperature decreases with altitude

A

Troposphere

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7
Q

Air temperature increases with altitude because ozone absorbs UV radiation

A

Stratosphere

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8
Q

Stratosphere starts at an altitude of _______

A

20 kilometers

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9
Q

Air temperature decreases with altitude as it contains a small amount of ozone

A

Mesosphere

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10
Q

Air temperature increases with altitude because oxygen molecules absorb solar radiation

A

Thermosphere

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11
Q

atmospheric conditions for period of hours or days

A

Weather

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12
Q

average weather conditions over a long period of time

A

climate

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13
Q

Gases that cause the gradual warming of the Earth’s atmosphere

A

Greenhouse gases

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14
Q

80% of human-generated greenhouse gas emissions

A

Carbon dioxide

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15
Q

Examples of greenhouse gases

A

Methane (CH4)
Nitrous oxide (N2O)
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
Perfluorocarbons (PFCs)
Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)

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16
Q

The annual world total carbon dioxide emissions from the consumption of energy

A

86% increase (1980–2018)

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17
Q

______ led the world in CO2 emission

A

China

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18
Q

_____ leads the world in CO2 emissions per capita

A

US

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19
Q

has one of the most stringent outdoor air quality standards

A

US

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20
Q

Stationary sources of outdoor air pollution

A

power plants, factories, and dry cleaners

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21
Q

Mobile sources of outdoor air pollution

A

cars, buses, trucks, planes, and trains

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22
Q

Natural sources of outdoor air pollution

A

windblown dust, volcanic eruptions, and forest fires

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23
Q

Sets standards for six major pollutants

A

Clean Air Act and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

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24
Q

6 major air pollutants

A

Carbon monoxide (CO)
Lead (Pb)
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
Ozone (O3)
Sulfur dioxide (SO2)
Particulate matter (PM)

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25
Colorless gas with a strong odor released when fossil fuels are burned.
Sulfur dioxide
26
A mixture of organic and inorganic solid and liquid particles that are suspended in air
Particulate matter
27
Components of PM
sulfate, nitrates, ammonia, sodium chloride, carbon, and dust
28
particles with diameters < 10 microns particles with diameters < 2.5 micron
PM10, PM2.5
29
global concern that can affect not only our health but also our climate.
Air pollution
30
global concern that can affect not only our health but also our climate.
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
31
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
32
Factors that influence IAQ
Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system Sources of indoor air pollutants Occupants
33
Additional reasons for recent exposure to indoor air pollutants
Air-tight houses with lower air infiltration/exfiltration Synthetic building materials Chemicals
34
HVAC systems means
Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems
35
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
36
Methods to Manage Contaminants
1. Source elimination or removal 2. Source substitution 3. Proper ventilation 4. Exposure control 5. Air cleaning
37
global authority on health issues, including those related to air quality.
World Health Organization (WHO)
38
Nearly _________ people a year die prematurely from illnesses attributed to air pollution.
7 million
39
Nearly ______ premature deaths are attributed to indoor air pollution
2 million
40
Energy use is _________ to standard of living
directly proportional
41
Oil and natural gas will be fully depleted in ____ years, and coal in ______ years.
50, 300
42
non-renewable as they are formed from the remains of microbes, plants, and animals that lived millions of years ago
Fossil fuels
43
When coal is burnt it produces
Carbon Dioxide, Nitrogen Oxide and mercury compounds
44
Since coal contains impurities like S and N, it produces toxic gases during burning which causes
acid rain and air pollution
45
made of many different compounds, each with its specific boiling point.
Oil
46
found above the oil in oil well.
Natural gas
47
Natural gas is the mixture of ______methane and small amount of other hydrocarbons.
50-90%
48
uses uranium to create energy
Nuclear fission
49
When these atoms break apart, the atoms’ nuclear energy is transformed into
thermal energy
50
A small pellet of uranium-produces about as much energy as burning _______
570 L of oil
51
a non-renewable resource because once uranium is used , it is gone
Nuclear Energy
52
Fission of 1 kilogram of uranium releases more energy than does burning ______
3 million kg of coal.
53
First Electricity Production
20 December, 1951 in Arco, Idaho, USA
54
First Commercial Use of Nuclear Power plants
June 26, 1954 at Obninsk, Russia
55
_________ nuclear power plant units in ___ countries produce electricity about ____ GW
442, 32, 384
56
Under construction: ____ plants with a capacity of 65 GW are in 16 countries.
66
57
one of the biggest causes of environmental damage on earth
The production and consumption of energy
58
It leads to large amounts of destruction of natural landscapes and habitants through the
process of fuel extraction, pollution of soil, climate change
59
at the heart of many of the world’s current environmental problems, and posses many problems for the sustainable development
Energy
60
has a pH of 1-5 compared to normal rain water
Acid rain
61
Acid rain contains large proportion of acids such as
Sulfuric acid and nitric acid
62
corrodes buildings, bridges, statues and other structures made of metal or stone
Acid rain
63
kills plants and vegetation by damaging their roots, leading to deforestation in many parts of the world, like Canada and Europe.
Acid rain
64
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
65
naturally occurring gases that pose no harm when they are in balance.
Greenhouse gases
66
The most important greenhouse gases
carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and water vapor
67
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
68
Oceans have absorbed ____ times more heat than the atmosphere resulting in warmer oceans.
20
69
Indicators that provide evidence that humans are the cause of global warming
Warming oceans, Atmosphere Boundary Shifts, Rising Surface Temperatures
70
Average global temperatures have increased by ________ over the last century, with the most significant increases occurring in the last 30 years
0.8°C

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