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Earth System- 29992 > Composition of the atmosphere > Flashcards

Composition of the atmosphere Flashcards

1
Q

What is the structure of the atom?

A

Nucleus- protons and neutrons
Electron cloud- electrons

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2
Q

What are the charges of protons, neutrons and electrons?

A

Protons- +1
Electrons- -1
Neutrons- 0

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3
Q

What is the diameter of most atoms?

A

0.1-0.3nm

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4
Q

What is the mass of the electron cloud compared to the nucleus?

A

1/1840

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5
Q

What does atomic number relate to?

A

The number of protons (will decide the element)

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6
Q

How are protons and electrons linked?

A

there will be the same number of protons as electrons

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7
Q

What is atomic mass or weight/ how do you work it out?

A

Number of protons and neutrons added together

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8
Q

What is an isotope?

A

an element which has the sae number of protons but more or less neutrons (this makes it more unstable)

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9
Q

What are some examples of isotopes?

A

Carbon 13
Carbon 14

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10
Q

What is air a mixture of?

A

gases and tiny suspended particles

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11
Q

How is the composition f the atmosphere typically described?

A

concentration or percentage

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12
Q

What is an example of the use of concentration for composition?

A

CO2 =ppm

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13
Q

What is a use of % to show composition?

A

Water vapour % by volume

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14
Q

What gases is atmospheric pressure dominated by?

A

Most abundant nitrogen and oxygen

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15
Q

what % if the atmosphere is nitrogen and oxygen?

A

Nitrogen- 78.08%
Oxygen- 20.95%

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16
Q

What is the size of aerosols?

A

<1 micrometer (1 millionth of a meter)

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17
Q

What dies the tiny size of aerosols mean?

A

they remain aloft in the atmosphere (linked to making covid remain in rooms)

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18
Q

How can aerosols be found? (form)

A

liquid droplets and solid particles (natural and anthropogenic)

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19
Q

What are some examples of liquid aerosols?

A

Fog
clouds

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20
Q

What are some examples of solid aerosols (particulates)?

A

Volcanic ash
Smoke
Blown sea salt
Dust
Ice
Pollen

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21
Q

What is another name for solid aerosols?

A

particulates

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22
Q

Where do most anthropogenic particulates originate from?

A

Industrial activities
transportation
burning of fossil fuel

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23
Q

What is one of the main ways Sodium (Na) is transferred from ocean to land?

A

Sea spray

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24
Q

How do aerosols affect precipitation?

A

They provide nucleation site for water droplets and ice crystals

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25
Q

What affect do aerosols have on light?

A

they scatter light leading to a cooling effect on climate (can be local or global)

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26
Q

What does a greater number of aerosol particulates in a cloud do?

A

more water droplets nucleate but individual drops will be smaller

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27
Q

Why will drops be smaller when aerosol concentration in a cloud is greater?

A

as total amount of water in cloud does not differ

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28
Q

How does more water droplets in a cloud promote cooling?

A

the clouds with more smaller droplets are whiter so a higher albedo

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29
Q

How can volcanic eruption have a cooling effect?

A

clouds of sulphur bearing aerosols from large explosive eruptions have noticeable cooling effect on the climate sometimes for years

30
Q

What are the major GHGs?

A

carbon dioxide, water vapour, methane,
nitrous oxide

31
Q

What are Commonalities

A

three or more atoms bonded loosely enough that
they vibrate when they absorb heat

32
Q

What eventually happens to the vibrating commonalities?

A

vibrating molecules release the radiation, which will
likely be absorbed by another greenhouse gas molecule

33
Q

What does the release of radiation from vibrating molecules do to earths surface?

A

it keeps the heat there

34
Q

Why cant the main atmospheric constituents vibrate?

A

N2 and O2 cant as the bond between the 2 atoms is too strong

35
Q

What can the Main atmospheric constituents not do?

A

Absorb heat

36
Q

What do the Main atmospheric constituents contribute to?

A

GHG effect

37
Q

What 3 factors affect how much a GHG influences global warming?

A

How effective at trapping heat it is
How abundant it is
Its lifetime

38
Q

What is residence time?

A

How long a pollutant remains in the atmosphere in its original form

39
Q

What is global warming potential (GWP)?

A

measure of total energy absorbed per unit time

40
Q

What are some ways concentration can be measured?(Units)

A

parts per million (ppm),
parts per billion (ppb)
parts per trillion (ppt)

41
Q

What is the equivalent of some GHGs potency compared to carbon dioxide?

A

methane 25 times
NOx 300 times
Fluorinated gases 1000’s-10000s

42
Q

How much each human caused GHG to total global emissions?

A

CO2- 76%
Methane- 16%
Nitrous oxide- 6%
Fluorinated gases- 2%

43
Q

What is the reason for the vast differences in the environment of Earth, Mars and Venus?

A

have markedly different atmosphere

44
Q

What is Mar’s mass of atmosphere like compared to Earths?

A

1/100th

45
Q

What does it mean for mars having a lower mass of atmosphere?

A

more radiation emitted by surface and escapes directly into space

46
Q

What is Mars conditions like?

A

cold
lacks persistent liquid water

47
Q

Is insolation constant?

A

incoming radiation is not constant

48
Q

How much less was the energy emitted by the sun 4 billion years ago?

A

20-30% lower

49
Q

what should have having lower solar energy output have meant for earth?

A

run away glaciation

50
Q

What case study is there about the sun for atmospheric composition?

A

The Faint Young Sun Paradox

51
Q

What is the paradox with the faint young sun paradox?

A

geological lines of evidence suggest liquid water was present at all times.
Plus no evidence of glaciation across whole global at one period

52
Q

What is climate?

A

the average weather conditions

53
Q

How is climate different from weather?

A

the probabilities of climate is more predictable

54
Q

What does climate interact with?

A

the atmosphere and the oceans, ice,
lithosphere, and biosphere

55
Q

What is a climate forcing?

A

a change external to the climate system that may push the climate system in the direction of warming or cooling

56
Q

What are some examples of climate forcing?

A

variation in sunlight, Earth’s orbit, albedo, greenhouse effect

57
Q

Where is the “keeling curve” from?

A

Mauna loa station Hawaii relating to atmospheric co2 trend since the 1960’s

58
Q

What does the “keeling curve” show?

A

Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has
increased rapidly

59
Q

How much has global temperature risen since the start of the industrial revolution?

A

1*C

60
Q

What is a climate FEEDBACK?

A

amplifies or diminishes the effect of each climate forcing

61
Q

What does a positive feedback loop mean?

A

self- reinforcing
runaway effect

62
Q

What is a general example of a positive feedback?

A

If the planet warms, a positive feedback is a process that will cause the planet to warm even more

63
Q

What does a negative feedback mean?

A

self-correcting or self-limiting
Stabilising effect

64
Q

What is an example of a positive feedback?

A

Increased temp leads to melting sea ice reducing albedo increasing absorbed energy increasing temp

65
Q

How can temperature and clouds create a feedback loop?

A

Increased temp= more water vapour= more clouds= increased albedo/ or trap terrestrial radiation

66
Q

What will affect the balance of if a cloud traps or reflects energy?

A

balance depends on where the clouds
are, how thick they are and at what height the cloud base is

67
Q

Are feedbacks fast or slow?

A

they can be either

68
Q

What are some examples of fast feedbacks?

A

water vapor, clouds, sea ice, aerosols

69
Q

What are some examples of slow feedbacks?

A

ice sheets, land surface
vegetation, ocean circulation

70
Q

What are the slowest type of feedbacks?

A

those which involve rock and sediments

71
Q
A

Earth System- 29992 (24 decks)

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