Human Influences On The Environment

Question 1

Acids in acid rain

Answer 1

Nitric acid - HNO3
Sulphuric acid - H2SO4
Carbonic acid - HCO3

Question 2

Impacts of acid rain

Answer 2

Acidification of lakes/ponds
Reacts with limestone/rocks
Acidification of soil

Question 3

Green house effect

Answer 3

• short wave radiation is emitted from the sun and the earth absorbs it therefore it heats up.
• then infra-red, long waved radiation gets emitted from earth into the atmosphere where the greenhouse gases absorb and reflect the long wave radiation back down to earth further heating it.

Question 4

Eutrophication

Answer 4

• something causes levels of nitrates in water to increase (rainwater causes leaching of minerals)
• more nitrates causes rapid growth of algae
• algae bloom covers the lake blocking sunlight from getting to the plants under the water.
• plants can’t photosynthesise so they die.
• The algae themselves start to run out of nutrients and begin to die.
• bacteria begin to decompose the dead matter
• The more bacteria, the more respiration occurs which uses up oxygen creating an anoxic environment.
• All life dies.

Question 5

Effects of deforestation

Answer 5

Leaching
Soil erosion
Flooding
Oxygen and carbon dioxide levels

Question 6

Nitrogen cycle definitions

Answer 6

Nitrogen fixation: gas into minerals
Nitrification: any compound into minerals
De-nitrification: out of compound, into air.
Decomposition: producing ammonia
Assimilation: making big molecules from small molecules

Question 7

Nitrogen cycle mineral formula

Answer 7

Nitrites: NO2
Nitrates: NO3
Ammonia: NH3

Question 8

Origins of greenhouse gases

Answer 8

Carbon dioxide: waste gases from animals, burning fossil fuels, rotting vegetation.
Water vapour: evaporation
Methane: waste gases from animals, rotting vegetation.
Nitrous oxide: breakdown of fertilisers, burning fossil feels.
CFC’s: air-conditioning units, aerosols.

Question 9

Greenhouse gases

Answer 9

Carbon dioxide, methane, water vapour, nitrous oxide, CFC’s

Question 10

Water cycle key words

Answer 10

• precipitation
• evaporation
• transportation
• condensation
• absorption