Human Influences on the Environment

Question 1

what causes acid rain?

Answer 1

1. burning fossil fuels releases harmful gases like sulphur dioxide.
2. when this gas mixes with rain clouds it forms dilute sulphuric acid.
3. this then falls as acid rain.

Question 2

What are the biological consequences of pollution by sulphur dioxide?

Answer 2

1. acid rain can cause a lake to be more acidic, this has a severe effect of the lakes ecosystem. many organisms are sensitive to changes in pH and can’t survive in more acidic conditions . many plants and animals die.
2. acid rain can kill trees. the acid damages leaves and releases toxic substances from the soil, making it hard for trees to take up nutrients

Question 3

What are the biological consequences of pollution by carbon monoxide?

Answer 3

1. when fossil fuels are burnt without enough air supply they produce the gas CO
2. if it combines with haemoglobin in RBCs it prevents them from carrying oxygen.
3. CO is mostly released in car emissions.

Question 4

what are the 5 greenhouse gases?

Answer 4

1. water vapour
2. carbon dioxide
3. nitrous oxide
4. methane
5. CFCs

Question 5

what can an increase in greenhouse gases lead to?

Answer 5

global warming and its consequences

Question 6

what does sewage water pollution or leached fertilisers lead to?

Answer 6

EUTROPHICATION

Question 7

what are the effects of deforestation?

Answer 7

1. leaching (trees take up nutrients from the soil before they’re washed away. no trees = nutrients lost = infertile soil
2. soil erosion (roots hold soil together)
3. disturbs balance of CO2 and O2.
4. disturbs evapotranspiration (less trees = climate drier)