Climate Change Flashcards
gases ? energy radiated from surfaces
absorb
green house gases allow ? to pass through atmosphere
electromagnetic radiation
what do green house gases absorb?
infrared radiation, stimulating bonds, increasing temperature
causes of increased green house gases
fossil fuels + methane, rice fields, swamps, decomposing waste + CO2 less soluble in water + deforestation
consequences of climate change
increased sea levels, more frequent and extreme weather events, changes in temperature + precipitation, changes in wildlife distribution
solutions to climate change
insulation, cycling, walking, carbon capture and storage, offsetting carbon taxes by planting trees, biofuels, decreasing beef demands
carbon capture and storage
pumping fossil fuels from power stations into porous rocks
biofuels
plant material, absorbing CO2 and releasing it back into atmosphere when burnt; ‘carbon neutral’
carbon foot print
total amount of green house gases a product/ service/ event emits over its full life cycle
problems with reducing carbon footprint
incomplete international cooperations, hinders poorer countries’ development rate, cost implications
what impurity leads to acid rain?
sulphur, becoming sulphur dioxide, in fossil fuels and hydrocarbons
how do you remove sulphur before being burnt?
react with calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide in coal power stations
CO
from incomplete combustion in engines
nitrogen oxide
oxidation of nitrogen in engines of high temperatures, causing acid rain and triggering asthma
diesel engines burn ?
longer hydrocarbons than petrol engines
