The atmosphere

Question 1

What is characteristics of the atmosphere

Answer 1

Protects us from fumes and harmful UV rays
Moderates our climate
Provides CO2 and O2 to organisms
transports and recycles water and nutrients

Question 2

What defines the different layers

Answer 2

Air temperature

Question 3

What are the different layers

Answer 3

(in order) Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, and Thermosphere

Question 4

What is the troposphere?

Answer 4

It is the closest to the surface
It provides us with the air we breath
Weather patterns and disturbances
Much denser than other layers
Gets colder as we ascend

Question 5

What is the stratosphere?

Answer 5

Where the ozone layer is found that protects us from harmful UV rays
Gets warmer as we ascend (ozone layer absorbs suns UV rays)

Question 6

Mesosphere

Answer 6

Where meteors byun up as they fall into the atmosphere
gets colder as we ascend

Question 7

thermosphere

Answer 7

Layer of ionized gases
experiences a steady flow of high-energy solar and cosmic radiation
radiation near the poles causes ionized gases to glow producing aurorae

Question 8

What makes a transitional layer

Answer 8

It marks the boundaries where temperatures stabilize before changing once more

Question 9

What is weather

Answer 9

it specifies particular atmospheric conditions over a short period

Question 10

What is climate

Answer 10

It describes patterns of atmospheric conditions in an area over a long period

Question 11

What is air

Answer 11

Air is essential to breathing
Air is all around us and we breathe the same air
Air is fluid (has no solid form)

Question 12

What is air pollution

Answer 12

Contamination of the environment by any chemical
Any substance released through human impacts that can affect climate or harm people
Pollutants can be chemically identical to some substances released through natural events

Question 13

What are the types of pollutants

Answer 13

Carbon monoxide
Sulfur Oxide
Nitrogen Oxide
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Particulate Matter (PMs)

Question 14

Carbon monoxide

Answer 14

Naturally occurring gas at moderate concentrations (Moderated at carbon cycle)
Hazardous when inhaled at high concentrations (Colorless, tasteless, odorless)

Question 15

Sulfure Oxide (SOx)

Answer 15

It is naturally present in the atmosphere (Volcanic eruptions)
SOx can come from combustion of sulfur-containing fossil fuels
Can become to SO3 which can contribute to acid rains
Colorless, corrosive gas

Question 16

Nitrogen oxides (NOx)

Answer 16

Nitrogen and oxygen are abundant in the atmosphere
NOx occurs naturally and can be released
it can come from combustion activities with insufficient oxygen
Reddish-brown, toxic gas with sharp and unpleasant odor

Question 17

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

Answer 17

It is a group of a variety of hydrocarbons
Do not pose as a great danger but contribute to secondary pollutants
Naturally released through evaporation of volatile hydrocarbons from plants

Question 18

Particulate Matter (PMs)

Answer 18

Small solid and liquid particulates suspended in the air
Natural source (Smoke and ash from fires, dust, sea salt spray, pollen, bacterial and fungal spores)
Eventually, it falls to the ground depending on the size
The smaller the PM, the greater the chance of dispersal by wind
PM can also affect climate

Question 19

What are the sources of pollution

Answer 19

Primary is released directly from source to atmosphere and is already hazardous)
Secondary is a result of a primary pollutant reacting with another substance

Question 20

What are the common problems of air pollution

Answer 20

Industrial Smog, Photochemical Smog, Acid Rain, Ozone layer depletion, Global Warming

Question 21

Industrial Smog

Answer 21

A mixture of soot, ash, SO2, and VOCs
Most are formed from the combustion of coal and oil
Forms over areas with a great amount of industrial processes and a high concentration of vehicles

Question 22

Photochemical Smog

Answer 22

Results from interactions among NOx, and VOCs in the presence of sunlight
Sunlight drives chemical reactions between primary pollutants and other atmospheric compounds
NOx is a large component so it is a brownish haze

Question 23

Acid Rain

Answer 23

Results of SOx and NOx reacting with water vapor and eventually forming large droplets falling down as acidic precipitation
Damages aquatic and marine organisms, solid human structures, vegetation, soil

Question 24

Ozone layer depletion

Answer 24

O3 is toxic when breathed but is a crucial shield in the stratosphere
The main culprit of Ozone layer holes are CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons)
Montreal protocol called for a phase-out of CFCs and also made funding available to poorer countries

Question 25

Global warming

Answer 25

GHGs are not harmful and help the earth to be warm and maintain its temp
An increase in the concentration of GHGs leads to increased warming causing a climate crisis
Kyoto protocol sought to reduce collective emissions of 6 GHGs