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GCSE Chemistry > Earth > Flashcards

Earth Flashcards

1
Q

What is the source of all our resources? Examples

A

Earth : Metal ores from rocks and fossil fuel

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2
Q

Name three fossil fuels

A

Coal, crude oil and natural gas

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3
Q

Plastics is made from what?

A

Crude oil

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4
Q

Fossil fuels are made from what?

A

Fossil fuels are made from the remains of dead plants and animals buried in the Earth’s crust for millions of years

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5
Q

Are Earth’s resources limited?

A

Yes

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6
Q

Why is recycling important?

A

Recycling is important because we have to save earth’s limited resources by reusing the materials.

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7
Q

Define Recycling

A

Recycling means taking old, unwanted products and using the materials to make new products.

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8
Q

List advantages of recycling

A
  1. Saves Earth’s limited resources
  2. Saves energy
  3. Saves money
  4. Less rubbish in landfill sites
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9
Q

If we do not recycle aluminium …

A
  1. More aluminium ore would have to be mined.
  2. Expensive to mine.
  3. Uses lots of energy to mine.
  4. The Aluminium transport and extraction uses more energy.
  5. It then costs money to send the used aluminium to landfill.
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10
Q

Name the layers of earth from inside to outside

A
  1. Inner core
  2. Outer core
  3. Mantle
  4. Crust
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11
Q

Inner core …

A

Inner core is a solid made up of iron and nickel.

The temperature is 5500 degrees C same as the Sun.

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12
Q

Outer core …

A

Outer core is a liquid made up of iron and nickel

Outer core is magnetic

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13
Q

Mantle …

A

Mantle is semi solid and liquid

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14
Q

Crust …

A

Crust is a thin layer of solid rock

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15
Q

Tectonic plates …

A

The crust and the upper mantle is cracked into a number of large pieces

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16
Q

When tectonic plates move suddenly, what happens?

A

Earth quakes

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17
Q

What often happens, where two tectonic plates meet?

A

Volcanoes and earth quakes

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18
Q

What are the three different types of rock in earth?

A
  1. Igneous rocks
  2. Sedimentary rocks
  3. Metamorphic roaks
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19
Q

What are igneous rocks?

A

The igneous rocks are formed from magma (melted underground rock) which is pushed through the crust - often through volcanoes.

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20
Q

What are the two types of igneous rocks?

A

Extrusive rocks: cooled fast above ground with small crystals e.g: Basalt

Intrusive rocks: cooled slowly under ground with large crystals e.g: Granite

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21
Q

How are sedimentary rocks formed?

A

Igneous rocks are weathered and eroded and sediments are transported by rain into lakes and seas.

Sedimentary rocks are formed from layers of sediments laid down in lakes or seas over million of years. Fossils can also form in the sedimentary rocks. Fossils are long dead remains of plants and animals.

The age of the rock can be calculated from the fossils.

Example: limestone. chalk and sandstone

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22
Q

How are metamorphic rocks formed?

A

Metamorphic rocks can be formed from igneous and sedimentary rocks, when heat and pressure is applied on the rocks over a long period of time.

Metamorphic rocks may have tiny crystals and some layers.

Example: marble, slate, schist

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23
Q

Rocks are made from what?

A

Rocks are made from minerals.

Minerals are made from elements and compounds.

24
Q

Explain how metamorphic rocks can become igneous rocks?

A

Metamorphic rocks can melt into magma and then magma can cool down into igneous rocks.

25
Q

Explain rock cycle

A

Rock cycle

  1. Weathering and erosion breaks down igneous rocks into smaller bits
  2. Transportation by rain
  3. Deposition of sediment
  4. Burial/compression/cementation
  5. Sedimentary rocks are formed
  6. Intense heat/pressure sedimentary rocks and igneous rocks turn into metamorphic rocks
  7. Metamorphic rocks melt and change to magma
  8. Magma cools down and igneous rocks are formed
  9. Weathering and erosion again.
26
Q

What are the two different types of weathering?

A
  1. Onion skin weathering

This happens when the sun warms up the surface of the rock by day and by night it cools down. This causes the surface to expand and contract, and eventually it breaks away like peeling an onion.

  1. Freeze thaw weathering

When water freezes, it expands. If this happens in a crack in a rock, it can make the crack bigger. After freezing and thawing many times, bits break off.

27
Q

Explain how the layers of sediment under the sea will be turned into rock.

A

The sediment layers are cemented together by other minerals and when pressure is applied turn into sedimentary rocks. Fossils can also form in the sediments.

28
Q

Why is carbon an important element?

A

Carbon is an important element because it is part of all living things.

29
Q

Explain carbon cycle

A

Carbon dioxide is in the air

Plants and algae absorb carbon dioxide for photosynthesis and make carbohydrates, proteins and fats

Animals eat plants - carbon is transferred

When plants and animals respire, carbon dioxide is released into the air

When plants and animals die they end up in the soil

Animal excretion ends up in the soil

Decomposers eat plant and animal remains and animal excretion

When decomposers (bacteria and fungi) in the soil respire carbon dioxide is released into the air

Dead plants and animals become fossil fuel after millions of years

Fossil fuel combustion releases carbon dioxide into the air

30
Q

Define atmosphere

A

The gases that surround a planet make up that planet’s atmosphere.

31
Q

Which gas is the highest concentration in the atmosphere?

A

Nitrogen 78%

32
Q

What is the percentage of oxygen in earth’s atmosphere?

A

Oxygen 21%

33
Q

What is the percentage of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

A

Carbon dioxide 0.04%

34
Q

What are the gases in the atmosphere?

A

Nitrogen 78%

Oxygen 21%

Carbon dioxide 0.04%

Water vapour and other noble gases small amounts

35
Q

What are the main reasons for increase in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere?

A
  1. Burning of fossil fuels to power cars and to produce electricity releases carbon dioxide
  2. Deforestration - Less carbon dioxide is removed from the trees through photosynthesis
36
Q

What are the disadvantages of recycling?

A
  1. Capital costs high for the recycling plants
  2. Recycling sites are unhygenic, unsafe, unsightly and may result in pollution and dieseases
  3. Products made from recycled materials might be low in quality and might not be durable
  4. Recycling is not widespread - Industries are not recycling locally and globally
37
Q

How does carbon dioxide contribute to global warming?

A

Carbon dioxide is a green house gas. It traps the sun’s energy in the atmosphere and makes the earth warmer resulting in increase in earth’s temperature.

38
Q

Define global warming

A

Global warming is increase in earth’s temperature due to greenhouse gases trapping the sun’s heat in the atmosphere

39
Q

What are the effects of global warming?

A
  1. The earth’s climate is changing. The earth’s temperature is increasing
  2. Glaciers and ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica are melting
  3. Sea levels are rising
  4. Coastal areas are flooding
  5. Extreme weather: Storms, droughts more frequent
40
Q

Give two things we get from crude oil

A

Petrol and diesel

41
Q

Explain why recycling materials means we can burn fewer fossil fuels.

A

Recycling uses less energy so fewer fossils need to be burned.

42
Q

What is the role of photosynthesis in the carbon cycle?

A

Carbon dioxide is absorbed from air during photosynthesis.

43
Q

What gas is most of the atmosphere made of?

A

Nitrogen 78%

44
Q

What is a greenhouse gas? Give one example

A

Greenhouse gas absorbs sun’s energy and traps it in the atmosphere resulting in an increase in earth’s temperature.

Example: Carbon dioxide, methane, water vapour and nitrous oxide

45
Q

Why might global warming cause sea levels to rise?

A

Due to increase in earth’s temperature glaciers and ice sheets in Antartica and Greenland will melt and result in sea level rises.

46
Q

Give four advantages of recycling materials over making them from scratch

A
  1. Not deplete earth’s limited resources.
  2. Less energy
  3. Saves money
  4. Less rubbish in landfill sites
47
Q

List two decomposers

A

Mushrooms and earth worms

48
Q

Describe the role of the decomposers in the carbon cycle

A

The decomposers feed on dead plant and dead animal remains and animal excretion and release carbon dioxide when they respire

49
Q

Explain how the role of green plants in the carbon cycle is different to that of decomposers

A

Plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for photosynthesis whereas decomposers release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere when they respire

50
Q

Name the layers within Earth’s atmosphere from the nearest to the furthest

A
  1. Troposphere - weather
  2. Stratosphere - ozone layer solar radiation
  3. Mesosphere - meteors burn in this layer
  4. Thermosphere - satellites & aurora
  5. Ionosphere - link in the chain of Sun-Earth interaction; radio communication possible
  6. Exosphere - upperlimit
51
Q

Give details for Troposphere

A

Troposphere

  • starts from the earth’s surface
  • most dense
  • almost all weather is in this region
  • 8-14.5km high
52
Q

Give details for Stratosphere

A

Stratosphere

  • starts above Troposphere
  • 50km high
  • the ozone layer, which absorbs and scatters the solar radiation is in this layer
53
Q

Give details for Mesosphere

A

Mesosphere

  • starts above Stratosphere
  • 85 km high
  • meteors burn in this layer
54
Q

Give details for Thermosphere

A

Thermosphere

  • starts above Mesosphere
  • 600 km high
  • aurora and satellites occur in this layer
55
Q

Give details for Ionosphere

A

Ionosphere

  • is an abundant layers of electrons and ionized atoms and molecules
  • from 48km above the surface to the edge of space at about 965 km, overlapping into the Mesosphere and Thermosphere
  • this dynamic region grows and shrinks based on solar conditions
  • it is further divided into sub-regions D, E, F based on what wavelength of solar radiation is absorbed
  • it is a critical link in the chain of Sun-Earth interactions
  • this region is what makes radio communication possible
56
Q

Give details for Exosphere

A

Exosphere

  • upper limit of our atmosphere
  • it extends from the top of the Thermosphere upto 10,000 km

GCSE Chemistry (10 decks)

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