global Warming Flashcards
What would the mean temperature on Earth be without greenhouse gases and why would this be a problem?
-18 degrees Celsius and that will make it too cold to support life as we know it
What are some greenhouse gases present in the atmosphere?
Water, carbon dioxide methane
What do greenhouse gases do?
Absorb heat radiated from the Earth and then release energy and all directions which keeps the earth warm
Name the six stages of the greenhouse effect
Electromagnetic radiation at most wavelength pass through the earth atmosphere, the Earth absorbs most of the radiation and warms up, the Earth radiates energy is infrared radiation, some of the infrared radiation goes into space, some of the infrared radiation are absorbed by greenhouse gases in the Atmosphere and the lower atmosphere warms up
Name two human activities that release methane
Farming cattle, farm rice in paddy fields
What human activities release carbon dioxide?
Burning fossil fuels in vehicles and power stations and deforestation releases carbon dioxide and reduces the absorption of carbon dioxide through photosynthesis
When Evaluating the quality of evidence, unless you like global warming What should you consider?
Who did the research and whether they are trustworthy, skilled and experienced? Who funded the research due to there may be bias, what methods were used to collect and analyse the data because that might cause uncertainties in in the evidence base and which organisation is reporting or publishing the evidence
How is climate different from weather?
Climate refers to the average temperature and cycles of weather over a long period of time
What is one of the most commonly used pieces of evidence that suggest Humans are causing global warming?
The strong correlation between increasing global carbon dioxide levels caused by human activity and the increase in global temperatures over the same timescale
What are some effects of global warming?
Glaciers and polar ice melting, sea levels rising, patterns of rainfall changing producing floods or droughts and habitats changing
What is meant by the carbon footprint of a product?
The total amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases which are emitted over the full life cycle of a product service or event
Carbon footprint of a car would include the carbon dioxide emitted by:
Machine machinery, whilst the matter is extracted from the earth crust and processed, power stations which generate electricity used to manufacture the car itself when it is driven for many years, and machinery which is used to dispose of or recycle the car
What may a young person do to increase their carbon footprint?
Use electricity at home probably generated from fossil fuels for lighting their room and using electronic devices, use a gas power boiler at home for heating and hot water, travel to school by bus or car , eat beef or rice and travel abroad once per year
What do most fuels contain?
Carbon and/ or hydrogen
When hydrogen atoms are present in a fuel, they are….
Oxidised to water
What is produced in complete combustion?
Carbon dioxide and water
When does complete combustion of a hydrocarbon fuel occur?
When there is a good supply of oxygen
When does Incomplete combustion occur?
When there is a poor supply of oxygen
What is produced during incomplete combustion?
Water or maybe carbon monoxide or particulate carbon, known as soot, or both
All the problems with incomplete combustion
Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas bind to haemoglobin in your red blood cells, carbon monoxide is colourless and has no smell so it’s very difficult to tell if you’re breathing it in, particulate carbon can cause health problems for humans because it irritates the lining of the lungs and make asthma worse , perhaps even cause cancer. Particulate carbon can also cause global dimming..
Where does carbon dioxide from burning fuels come from?
Complete combustion of any fuel containing carbon atoms
Where does carbon monoxide and soot from burning fuels come from?
Incomplete combustion of any fuel containing carbon atoms
Where does unburned hyrdocarbons from burning fuels come from?
Hydrocarbon fuel molecules which have not been oxidised at all
Where does sulphur dioxide from burning fuels come from?
Combustion of a fossil fuel which contains sulphur impurities
Where does nitrogen oxide from burning fuels come from?
Oxidation of a atmospheres nitrogen inside the engine of a car, lorry, et cetera
What happens to sulphur dioxide when it is further oxidised in the atmosphere? And what does this cause?
Form sulphur trioxide which this gas then dissolves in rainwater to make acid rain
What can nitrogen oxide gases do?
Cause acid rain and react in the atmosphere with other pollutants to make photochemical smog
