S8: Human Influences on the Environment

Question 1

What is pollution?

Answer 1

The contamination of the environment by harmful substances that are produced by the activities of humans?

Question 2

How do pollutants get into the environment?

Answer 2

Burring waste and fossil fuels
Sewage
Litter
Oil spill
Leeching
Mining

Question 3

What causes acid rain?

Answer 3

Sulphur dioxide

Question 4

Why is Sulphur dioxide dangerous?

Answer 4

It can damage human breathing systems and is also poisonous to many plants.

Question 5

How is acid rain formed?

Answer 5

Sulphur dioxide dissolves in the rain to form Sulphuric acid

Question 6

What are the biological consequences of acid rain?

Answer 6

leeches out mineral ions that plant needs to grow form the soil - these can end up in lake where if can affect the gills of fish and poison them

Can damage plant leave - so no photosynthesis

Can make rivers and lakes acidic so animals and plants that usually live there can’t anymore.

damages the soft skin of fish and amphibians.

Question 7

What is the enhanced greenhouse effect?

Answer 7

CO2 an other greenhouse gases allow radiation from the sun to enter the atmosphere and heat the earth, but instead off all of this being re-emitted from the ground, it is trapped inside the atmosphere, heating up the planet and leading to climate change.

Question 8

What are some causes of the greenhouse effect?

Answer 8

CO2 released from the burning of fossil fuels or vehicle engines

Large scale deforestation

Methane - released from cattle and bacteria in rice fields - this is a greenhouse gas

Question 9

How does deforestation lead to the greenhouse effect?

Answer 9

Trees are burnt releasing CO2

Trees are broken down by decomposers - which releases CO2

Less trees means less photosynthesis which means less CO2 being used up.

Question 10

What are the consequences of global warming?

Answer 10

Polar ice caps will melt - so sea levels will rise.

Change in major ocean currents - so warm water flows to cooler areas

Change in rainfall - rise in temp = more evaporation - so more water vapour in some areas and less in others.

Change in the nature of many ecosystems - as species won’t be able to migrate or adapt fast enough

Changes in farming as some pests become more abundant globally as temperatures rise.