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Chemistry (Fin) > Paper 2 C9 - Chemistry of the Atmosphere > Flashcards

Paper 2 C9 - Chemistry of the Atmosphere Flashcards

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1
Q

State the percentage of oxygen in the atmosphere

A

21%

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2
Q

State the percentage of nitrogen in the atmosphere

A

78%

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3
Q

Name the three gases that exist in small amounts (~1%) today

A
  • Carbon dioxide
  • Argon
  • Water vapour
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4
Q

The proportion of gases in the atmosphere have been the same as today for about ________________ years

A

200 million

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5
Q

Give one reason why there limited evidence for theories about the Earth’s early atmosphere

A

Happened 4.6 billion years ago

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6
Q

Describe one theory for how the earth’s early atmosphere was formed

A

Intense volcanic activity released carbon dioxide , water vapour and nitrogen into the atmosphere

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7
Q

Describe the composition of the early atmosphere

A

Like Venus/Mars today
–> Mainly carbon dioxide
–> Little to no oxygen
–> Small amounts of ammonia and methane

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8
Q

Explain how oxygen levels increased in the early atmosphere

A

Algae began to produce oxygen through photosynthesis
–> Around 2.7 billion years ago
–> Allowed animal life to evolve

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9
Q

Give 4 ways that carbon dioxide levels decreased in the early atmosphere

A
  • Trapped in fossil fuels
  • Used by algae and plants for photosynthesis
  • Dissolved in oceans as carbonates
    –> These formed sedimentary rocks
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10
Q

Name 4 greenhouse gases

A
  • Methane (CH₄)
  • Carbon dioxide (CO₂)
  • Nitrous oxide (N₂O)
  • Water vapour (H₂O)
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11
Q

Explain the greenhouse effect

A
  1. Short wavelength radiation passes through the atmosphere to the earth’s surface and warms it up
  2. Long wavelength radiation is re-emitted from the surface
    –> gets absorbed by the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
    —> increases the earth’s average temperature
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12
Q

Give 2 examples of human activities that increases carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere

A
  • Burning fossil fuels
  • Deforestation
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13
Q

Give 2 examples of human activity that increases methane levels in the atmosphere

A
  • Intense farming
  • Decay of organic waste in landfill
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14
Q

Explain why the media use simplified models of climate change

A

Climate change is:
- Complex
- Hard to model accurately

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15
Q

The media let people speculate/give their own opinion on climate change, which results in a _________ presentation of it

A

Biased

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16
Q

State the type of evidence for climate change that is of a higher quality than media

A

Peer-reviewed evidence

17
Q

Identify one major cause of climate change

A

Increasing average global temperatures

18
Q

Give 4 potential effects of climate change

A
  • Extinction of species
  • Raised sea levels (due to melted ice caps)
  • Decrease in crop yield
  • Extreme weather (drought/flooding)
19
Q

Define carbon footprint

A

The amount of greenhouse gases released over the full life cycle of a product/service/event

20
Q

Give 3 ways of reducing carbon emissions/footprint

A
  • Recycling
  • Eating less meat (methane)
  • Using less fuel
  • Taxing greenhouse emissions
21
Q

Give 2 reasons why reducing a carbon footprint is difficult

A
  • Needs government support to work
  • Can be expensive
22
Q

Give the chemical term for burning

A

Combustion

23
Q

Write the word equation for complete combustion

A

hydrocarbon + oxygen → carbon dioxide and water

24
Q

True/False: complete combustion doesn’t require much oxygen

A

False
- Complete combustion requires plenty of oxygen

25
Q

Write the word equation for incomplete combustion

A

hydrocarbon + oxygen → carbon/carbon monoxide + carbon dioxide + water

26
Q

True/False: incomplete combustion needs a lack of oxygen

A

True

27
Q

Name the three elements that most fuels we burn contain

A
  • Sulfur
  • Hydrogen
  • Carbon
28
Q

Name the three pollutants that can be released into the atmosphere from burning fuels

A
  • Particulates (unburned hydrocarbon)
  • Sulphur dioxdes
  • Nitrogen oxides
29
Q

Name the two pollutants produced as a result of incomplete combustion

A
  • Carbon (soot)
  • Carbon monoxide
30
Q

Give two properties of carbon monoxide

A
  • Colourless
  • Odorless
31
Q

Give one effect of carbon monoxide

A

Lowers the amount of oxygen that the blood can carry

32
Q

Give two effects of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides

A
  • Acid rain
  • Respiratory problems in humans
33
Q

Give two effects of particulates

A
  • Global dimming
  • Heart and lung problems

Chemistry (Fin) (7 decks)

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