Lecture 3 - Global warming and Green House Effect Flashcards
What was the purpose of the Kyoto protocol?
Industrialized countries will
reduce their collective emissions of greenhouse gases by 5.2% compared to
the year 1990
What are the 5 Paris Agreement key points?
- Limit temperature rise ‘well
below’ 2C - First universal climate agreement
- Helping poorer nations
- Publishing greenhouse gas reduction
targets - Carbon neutral by 2050?
What is radiation?
Transfer of heat from a warmer body to a cooler body
What’s the purpose of Stefan-Boltzmann equation? (Qmax = σAT^4)
Calculate the maximum rate at which energy in the form of heat can be radiated by a body at a given temperature
A is in m^2 and T is in K, Qmax aka heat flow rate
What is a ‘black body’?
An object radiating at the maximum rate (Qmax in Stefan-Boltzmann eq)
What is ‘heat flux’?
‘q’ expresses radiative energy in terms of the rate/unit of surface area. (q = Qmax/Area = σT^4)
What is ‘albedo’?
The reflected fraction of incoming radiation, estimated to be 31% (‘a’)
What is S0(1-a)?
Rate of solar energy absorbed (W/m^2)
What is the greenhouse effect?
Part of the outgoing radiation is trapped in earth’s atmosphere(greenhouse gases) and absorbed by surface.
What is IPCC?
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Give 3 examples of greenhouse gases?
CO2, Methane, Nitrous oxide(N2O)
What happens if more greenhouse gases are added to the atmosphere?
Some of the outgoing radiation to space will be absorbed by that gas, resulting in a net decrease of outgoing radiation per unit of area.
What is radiative forcing?
Changes in incoming/outgoing radiation (ΔF = Δqout - Δqin)
T/F: The initial concentration of a
greenhouse gas strongly affects the
the magnitude of radiative forcing caused
by an additional increment in
concentration
True
T/F: As the concentration grows, each new increment in concentration produces
more additional forcing than the earlier
increments
False, it’s less additional forcing
T/F: The total radiative forcing from multiple greenhouse gases can be expressed as an equivalent CO2 concentration that would
produce the same overall forcing.
True
What is the climate
sensitivity factor γ?
Ratio of the final temperature change Δte to the change in radiative forcing ΔFrad
T/F: When burned Carbon is transformed into CO2.
True, every 12 g of carbon in
fuel produces 44 g of CO2
How to calculate the total mass of CO2 emitted?
Need to know the amount of each fossil fuel consumed & the mass fraction of carbon in each fuel type.
What are trace metals?
Small quantities of metal released by mining to the environment.
What are the metals essential for our nutrition?
calcium, copper, iron, magnesium,
phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and zinc
Nonessential metals are not toxic at low concentrations
False
List metals that are very toxic at sufficiently high concentrations
Lead, Mercury, Arsenic,
Cadmium, Nickel, …
What are the toxic effects of lead?
Learning and behavioural disorders as well as problems in motor coordination. Lead also attacks the kidneys, the reproductive system, and the hematopoietic system, which is responsible for making blood.
What are the toxic effects of Nickel and Chromium?
Respiratory cancer and skin disease
What are the toxic effects of Cadmium?
Kidney failure
What are the toxic effects of Mercury?
Damage to nervous system and brai
What trace metals the atmosphere contains?
silicon, aluminum, and iron
What is the origin of metals contained in groundwater and surface waters?
soil and biota
How have human activities increased the amounts of trace metals
in our environment?
- Water draining from mines
- Airborne levels of cadmium, zinc, and other metals near smelters
- Food stored in improperly prepared metal containers
What are the four exposure routes of trace metals?
air, drinking water, food, soil
What is the formula to calculate the mass of trace metal absorbed by the body/time?
Ai = Ci Ui fi
Ci = concentration of the trace metal in medium
Ui= uptake rate of air, water, food, or soil/dust
fi= fraction of trace metal absorbed by the bloodstream
How are airborne particles characterized?
aerodynamic diameter
Particles with a high density will have an aerodynamic diameter somewhat smaller/greater than their physical diameter.
greater
Particle with an aerodynamic diameter of 1μm will be carried by …
winds
What determines the particle distributions?
how the particle was formed
Which range of aerodynamic diameter is referred to as ‘nuclei mode’?
0.02-0.05 μm
Are particles in nuclei mode stable?
Not very stable
What happens to particles in nuclei mode at high concentrations?
they collide to form larger particles
What is accumulation mode?
Eventually they reach a stable size
