Module 7: Reducing Carbon Emissions with Chemistry Flashcards
why is our planet in a crisis
- excessive carbon dioxide emissions
the carbon cycle: equilbrium
- equilibrium between carbon dioxide in air and carbonic acid in ocean
the carbon cycle: how is the equilibrium being changed (2)
- increase in CO2 in atmosphere is pushing the equilibrium to have the ocean retain more carbonic acid
- has led to ocean acidification, coral reef bleaching, etc
the greenhouse effect
- the way in which heat is trapped close to Earth’s surface by “greenhouse gasses”
the greenhouse effect: good or bad? (2)
- we need some of the greenhouse effect to keep earth warm and habitable
- too much greenhouse effect can have negative impacts on earth
why does society have such a dependence on fossil fuels
- it is integrated into almost every aspect of life
petroleum products: production to product (3)
- crude oil production and transport
- refining and upgrading
- fuels and petrochemicals for products
what is petroleum used for (2)
- fuel distribution
- petrochemical plants
what types of fuel are distributed (3)
- gasoline
- diesel
- jet fuel
what products are made using petrochemicals plants (3)
- cosmetics
- textiles
- plastics
fuel
- different forms of matter with stored energy
where does the stored energy in fuel come from
- sun/solar radiation
combustion reaction
fuel + oxygen –> CO2 + water
combustion byproducts (2)
- carbon dioxide
- water
describe the energy at the top of a hill (2)
- most potential energy
- least kinetic energy
describe the energy at the bottom of a hill (2)
- least potential energy
- most kinetic energy
how does energy change as a ball rolls down a hill
- potential energy (height) translated into kinetic energy (movement)
chemical energy of molecules (2)
- higher energy molecules have more potential energy/stored energy
- lower energy molecules (CO2) have less potential energy and more kinetic energy
list some molecules considered as fuel (4)
- octane
- ethanol
- glucose
- carbon monoxide
what occurs during combustion (burning) of fuels (2)
- release of energy
- production of CO2
what areas should we focus on regarding carbon emissions in decreasing order (6)
- transportation
- electricity generation
- industry
- agriculture
- commercial
- residential
what can we do to decrease how much CO2 ends up in our atmosphere (4)
- what we eat
- how we travel
- “decarbonization” tech
- CO2 capture
decrease atmospheric CO2: diet (2)
- consume low impact foods, generally fewer animal products
- consumer lower impact versions of food, generally sourced locally
decrease atmospheric CO2: travel (3)
- take fewer flights
- use no-car alternatives for travel when possible; bike, walk, etc
- car-pool/take transit
decrease atmospheric CO2: “decarbonization” tech
- electric vehicles
- hydrogen fuel cells
- bio-products
what are the disadvantages of hydrogen fuel cells (2)
- require use of materials that require mining
- environmental damage concerns related to mining as well
decrease atmospheric CO2: CO2 capture (2)
- point source capture
- direct air capture
point source capture (2)
- use of metal-organic framework sorbent that is basic and porous
- selectively captures carbon from flue gas due to chemical differentiation with bases
flue gas
- mixture of CO2, oxygen, nitrogen and other contaminant gasses
direct air capture methods (2)
- ambient air is bubbled through an extremely basic solution to capture the carbon
- dilute carbon is taken out of the air and concentrated into pure CO2
what are the disadvantages of carbon capture (3)
- energy inefficient; counterintuitive
- low practicalities
- currently have very minuscule effects
what is required to turn pure CO2 into useful chemicals (2)
- requires breaking C–O bonds and making new bonds
- challenging because CO2 is very STABLE
natural photosynthesis (4)
CO2 + water + sun –> glucose + oxygen
- stores energy from sun in chemical bonds of glucose
- reverse of combustion reaction
- provides blueprint for chemists to replicate in artificial systems
artificial photosynthesis concept
- use of intermittent/localized renewable energy source to intake carbon dioxide and create reduced carbon forms (fuels)
renewable energy sources (3)
- windmills
- solar panels
- hydro dams
what is required for artificial photosynthesis
- a catalyst
- must be cheap, abundant, stable, etc
