Sub 14: Air Pollution

Question 1

what are the two gases caused by burning fossil fuels?

Answer 1

sulphur dioxide
carbon dioxide
nitrogen oxide
water

Question 2

what are acidic gases?

Answer 2

they dissolve to form acid rain, acid rain lowers pH of soil and water, dissolves nutrients

Question 3

what are greenhouse gases?

Answer 3

enhance the greenhouse effect leading to global warming

Question 4

name renewable energy sources

Answer 4

solar
hydroelectric
wind
tidal and wave
geothermal
biomass

Question 5

why are renewable energy resources better than non-renewable?

Answer 5

they don’t produce pollution or nasty waste products

Question 6

talk about greenhouse effect

Answer 6

caused by normal carbon dioxide and water vapour in the air
most of the incoming radiation from the sun passes through the atmosphere
this radiation is absorbed when it hits the surface of the earth
energy is re-emitted as heat, most of the outgoing radiation is reflected back to earth by carbon dioxide and water vapour

Question 7

discuss global warming

Answer 7

increasing human activity leads to increased air pollution, global temperature increases due to enhanced greenhouse effect of more CO2 reflecting more heat.

Question 8

name other air pollutants

Answer 8

chlorofluorocarbons and methane

Question 9

give examples of organisms affected by global warming

Answer 9

zooanthellae (algae) and coral polyps - algae gains carbon dioxide and ammonium from coral polyp and it gains sugar from algae, sea temp increase can upset balance of relationship causing build up of harmful algal metabolites - coral polyp dies - coral bleaching

north sea fish - temperature increase caused them to move