global warming Flashcards
how is acid rain formed
acidic gases such as SO2 and NO2 released by burning of fossil fuels in vehicles and industries
dissolve in water vapor in atmosphere
forms nitric acid HNO3 and sulphuric acid H2SO4
clouds form and eventually produce acid rain
where does acid rain fall
fall far from source since acid clouds can be carried away from source of pollutants by air currents
list 3 effects of acid rain
can kill vegetation
dissolve some compounds of poisonous metals resulting in their entry into lakes and rivers where organisms can be poisoned
erodes stone and metal structures like statues and buildings
list 5 main greenhouse gases
carbon dioxide
chlorofluorocarbon
methane
nitrogen oxide
water vapor
what are the sources of carbon dioxide
oil and other fuels
most important
sources of chlorofluocarbon
used for packaging foam aerosol sprays and as coolants in fridge
sources of methane
from animals as they digest and decaying plant matter rice fields and fuels
sources of nitrogen oxide
from motor vehicles, fuels and some fertilisers
sources of water vapor
produced by evaporation
occur naturally in atmosphere
what do greenhouse gases do
form a blanket around earth in atmosphere
how do greenhouse gases operate
1) suns energy enters atmosphere mainly as short wave radiation including light rays
2) gg let short wave energy pass
3) earths surface emits energy mainly as long wave radiation, including heat
4) gg trap some of long wave energy helps to warm up atmosphere
why is greenhouse effect important
very important to life on earth
without temperatures would be so cold that plants and animals would not be able to survive
what is the earths average temp
15 degrees celsius
what is the earths temperature without greenhouse gases
-18 degrees celsius with the oceans and seas permanently frozen
define global warming
increase in average temperature of the earth
list 5 effects of global warming
1) result in changes in rainfall patterns
some will experience drought while others experience heavy rainfall which can result in shortage of food production occurs as agri is dependent on rainfall
2) ice caps melt and release fresh and cold water into the sea so not adapted animals will not survive
3) wider spread of infectious diseases
4) more extreme weather hazards occur - tornadoes hurricane heatwaves
5) sea level rises so low level islands vulnerable to inundation
how are coral reefs affected by global warming
as a result in rise of sea level
need shallow waters to survive
bleaching of corals may occur as result of zooxanthellae being expelled from coral polyp due to adverse conditions
list 5 reducing effects of global warming
reduce use of CFCs
make green spaces (places with a lot of vegetation) and reafforestation
decrease combustion of fossil fuels and use alternative forms of energy like solar wind and geothermal
laws/legislation to decrease amount of pollutants generated from industries
educating public
define ozone layer
thin layer of ozone gas (2-3mm) in the atmosphere and 10-50 km above the earth
function of the ozone layer
absorbs most of harmful UV rays emanating from the sun
shields plant and animal life from UV rays which at high exposures can be damaging to all life forms from microscopic plankton to human life
what is the main gas in the ozone layer
ozone O3
when was the first dramatic loss of ozone first noted
late 1985 by a research group monitoring the atmosphere above antartica
data from NASA revealed a hole 24,7 million square km
what is the cause of ozone depletion
release of certain man made chemicals which destroy ozone gas egs CFCs used in refrigeration air conditioning systems aerosol sprays chemicals used in fire fighting equipment industrial processes and insecticides
list 2 effects of ozone layer depletion
too much UV rays reaching earth’s surface which causes bad health effects such as skin cancer, eye damage and blindness and weakening of the body’s resistance to diseases
children are particularly at risk
harms plants particularly food crops and animals
list 4 ways to protect ozone layer
purchase ozone friendly or CFC free products
before disposing of old refrigerators and air conditioning systems ensure that the refrigerant gases removed by trained technician in recovery and reuse of these gases
switch to an alternative or ozone friendly insecticide
legal commitment to phase out using main types of ozone depleting substances through Montreal protocol
what is trinidad doing to protect the ozone layer
nou national ozone unit formed in1999 to ensure that country meets its obligations to the protocol
banned importation of CFC products on dec 31 2007
train technicians on safe handling of ozone depleting substances and the distribution of refrigerant recovery units
what is ocean acidification
CO2 absorbed by sea water chemical reactions occur that reduce sea water pH
list effect of ocean acidification
destroys calcium carbonate minerals which are building blocks for skeletons and shells of many marine organisms like corals and oysters
how much has the pH of the surface ocean waters decreased by
1.0 pH units since beginning of Industrial revolution ie an approx 30% increase in acidity
define climate
average weather in a place over many years
define climate change
a change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns when that change lasts for an extended period of time
list three vulnerability of SIDs to climate change
high ratio of coastline to land area
high population density
minimal elevation above sea level
puts large parts of population at risk for storms, flooding, erosion.
what do SIDs depend on
coastal ecosystems eg. Reefs and mangroves for household income,
revenue from tourism and food. These ecosystems are threatened by rising sea surface
temperature, ocean acidification and increase storm intensity as a result of climate change.
