Lesson 3 Flashcards
What percentage of carbon dioxide makes up all gases in the atmosphere?
Approximately 0.04%
This percentage is part of the total atmospheric composition.
What role does carbon dioxide play for the Earth?
Regulates temperature and keeps it warm
Carbon dioxide is essential for maintaining the Earth’s temperature.
What are the products of combustion?
Carbon dioxide and water vapor
Combustion of fossil fuels primarily produces these gases.
How are fossil fuels formed?
From the remains of ancient plants and animals subjected to heat and pressure over millions of years
This process takes a long time and occurs underground.
What is the chemical equation for photosynthesis?
6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2
This equation represents how plants convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.
What is the greenhouse effect?
A natural process where certain gases trap heat in the atmosphere
This effect is crucial for maintaining a habitable climate on Earth.
What happens to most of the sun’s heat energy as it passes through the Earth’s atmosphere?
It is absorbed by the Earth’s surface
This energy warms the Earth, which then emits some of it back into space.
Where else does some of this energy go?
It is emitted back into space
Not all energy is absorbed; a portion escapes the atmosphere.
What does the word ‘emitted’ mean?
Released or sent out
Emission refers to the process of giving off energy or gases.
Which gases in the Earth’s atmosphere can absorb heat energy?
Methane and carbon dioxide
These gases contribute significantly to the greenhouse effect.
What does the absorption of heat energy result in?
Increased temperatures on Earth
This phenomenon contributes to global warming.
Why is it called the greenhouse effect?
It mimics how greenhouses trap heat to maintain warmth
The analogy highlights the role of gases in retaining heat.
What is the energy emitted from the sun otherwise known as?
Solar radiation
This energy is essential for life on Earth.
What is global warming?
The increase in Earth’s average temperature due to rising greenhouse gas levels
This phenomenon is linked to human activities.
Why was the Earth cooler 200 years ago?
Lower levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
Industrial activities have significantly increased greenhouse gas emissions since then.
What is climate change?
Long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns in a place
Climate change encompasses global warming and its effects.
State two potential effects of climate change.
- Increased severity of storms * Changes in precipitation patterns
These effects can lead to various environmental and societal challenges.
Name the main greenhouse gas in the atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
It is the most significant greenhouse gas emitted by human activities.
Name another greenhouse gas and state where it comes from.
Methane (CH4) - It comes from agriculture and livestock farming
Methane is significantly more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide.
Which biological process removes carbon dioxide from the Earth’s atmosphere?
Photosynthesis
Plants use this process to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and glucose.
Which human activity has slowed down the rate at which carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere?
Deforestation
Removing trees reduces the number of plants available for photosynthesis.
Describe the relationship between global warming and the greenhouse effect.
Global warming is a result of enhanced greenhouse effect due to increased greenhouse gases
Human activities like deforestation and burning fossil fuels exacerbate this effect.
Describe how the change in global temperature has influenced weather patterns.
- Increased frequency of heat waves * More intense storms
These changes are linked to rising global temperatures and impact ecosystems and human life.
