ESS Topic 6

Question 1

atmosphere system

Answer 1

dynamic - inputs, outputs, storages, flows
heat and pollutants carried by air currents

Question 2

greenhouse effect

Answer 2

caused by gases in atmosphere reducing heat losses by radiation back in space trapping heat energy reflected from Earth’s surface and re-radiate it

maintains suitable temperatures for living systems

Question 3

greenhouse gases

Answer 3

absorb heat and re-emits it as heat energy back to Earth
main ones are - water vapour, carbon dioxide and methane

Question 4

ozone

Answer 4

found in 2 layers of atmosphere
good in stratosphere
bad in trophosphere

Question 5

ozone layer

Answer 5

lower stratosphere
made from oxygen and is continuously converted back into o2
absorbs UV radiation - crucial for life on land

Question 6

UV radiation

Answer 6

UV C - highest energy and shortest wave length (most harmful
UV B
UV - A longer wavelength (lowest energy) relatively harmless

Question 7

damaging effects of UV radiation

Answer 7

genetic mutation
damage to living tissue
cataract formation in eyes
skin cancers
suppression of immune system
damage to photosynthetic organisms - phytoplankton
damage to consumers of photosynthetic organisms - zooplankton

Question 8

beneficial effects of UV radiation

Answer 8

stimulates production of vitamin D in animals
can be used to treat skin diseases - psoriasis and vitiligo
used as steriliser - kills pathogenic bacteria
can be an air and water purifier
industrial uses - lasers, viewing old scripts, forensic analysis, lighting

Question 9

Ozone Depleting substances

Answer 9

chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) - most important, releases chlorine atoms, used in spray cans, plastic foam expanders, refrigerants

Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) - used as replacement for CFCs, releases chlorine atoms but shorter influence

Halons - fire extinguishers, releases bromine atoms

Methyl Bromide - pesticide, releases bromine atoms

Nitrogen Oxides - used in bacterial breakdown of nitrates in soil (intensive farming), converted into NO which reacts with oxygen

Question 10

Action of ODS

Answer 10

chlorine atoms react with ozone causing its destruction - also reacts with oxygen preventing ozone formation
CFCs may remain in atmosphere for up to 100 years

Question 11

replace - reducing ODS

Answer 11

replace gas-blown plastics
replace CFCs with CO2 prone or air as propellant
replace aerosols with pump action sprays
replace methyl bromide pesticides

Question 12

regulate - reducing ODS

Answer 12

recover and recycle CFCs from refrigerators and ACs
legislate to have fridges returned to manufacturer and coolants removed and stored
capture CFCs from scrap AC units

Question 13

restore - reducing ODS

Answer 13

add ozone or remove chlorine from stratosphere

Question 14

primary urban air pollution

Answer 14

carbon monoxide - incomplete combustion of fossil fuels
carbon dioxide
unburned hydrocarbon
nitrogen oxides
sulphur dioxide
particulate matter
building sites and forest fires

Question 15

Secondary urban air pollution

Answer 15

formed when primary pollutants undergo a variety of reactions with other chemicals in atmosphere - may be photochemical in presence of sunlight

e.g. tropospheric ozone, particulates produced from gaseous primary pollutants, peroxyacteyl nitrate (PAn

Question 16

Tropospheric Ozone

Answer 16

10% of ozone in troposphere
ozone is GHG with 2000 GWP than CO2

Question 17

effects of tropospheric ozone

Answer 17

damage to plants - degrades chlorophyll so photosynthesis is reduced
damage to humans - reduce action of lungs
damage to materials and products

Question 18

dangers of particulates

Answer 18

enter human system causing asthma, lung cancer, respiratory problems and death
cancer causing
crops covered in it can reduce productivity - less sunlight reaches leaf

Question 19

photochemical smog

Answer 19

complex mixture of hundreds of primary and secondary pollutants
formed when ozone, nitrogen oxides and gaseous hydrocarbons from vehicle exhaust interacting with strong sunlight

Question 20

occurrence of photochemical smog governed by

Answer 20

local topography
climate
population density
fossil fuel use

common in large cities that are low lying (valleys) on calm days

Question 21

thermal inversion

Answer 21

increases photochemical smog
warm days - polluted air prevents air rising and traps pollution on ground level

Question 22

types acid deposition

Answer 22

wet - rain
dry - coming down in ash or dry particles

Question 23

natural source of acid deposition pollutants

Answer 23

volcanic eruptions - producing sulphur dioxide
lightning causing nitrogen oxides

Question 23

causes of acid deposition

Answer 23

pollutants increase acidification
rain already slightly acidic due to presence of CO2 in atmosphere

Question 24

Direct effects of acid deposition

Answer 24

weakening tree growth in coniferous forests
acid falling on lakes and ponds decreasing pH of water and effecting aquatic organisms

Question 25

Indirect effects of acid deposition

Answer 25

toxic - increased solubility of metal ions which is toxic to fish and plant roots
nutrient effects - leaching of nutrients

Question 26

Replace management strategy

Answer 26

replace fossil fuel use with alternatives
reduce overall demand for electricity - education
use public transport
use low sulphur fuels

Question 27

regulate mangement strategy

Answer 27

clean-up technologies at points of emission (scrubbing chimneys to reduce sulphur dioxide)
catalytic converters convert nitrous oxides back to nitrogen gas

Question 28

restore mangement strategy

Answer 28

recolonise damaged areas
international agreements
liming forestry plantations trees acidify soils as they remove nutrients

Question 29

reducing effects of acid deposition

Answer 29

liming lakes to neutralise acidity
reducing emissions
precombustion techniques
end of pipe measures

Question 30

liming lakes

Answer 30

adding powdered limestones raising pH
biodiversity not immediately restored
lime affect nutrient balance

Question 31

precombustion

Answer 31

reduce SO2 by removing sulphur from fuel before combustion
removed sulphur can be useful

Question 32

end of pipe measures

Answer 32

removes sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxies from waste gases
e.g. waste gas scrubbers in electricity plants - sulphur
motor car catalytic converter - nitrogen