The Human Impact On The Environment

Question 1

Define the term carbon footprint.

Answer 1

A carbon footprint measures the total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by a person, organisation, event or product in a given time.

Question 2

What is a resource?

Answer 2

Anything that we use or rely on (e.g. Fuels, metals, bio-resources).

Question 3

How does the eventual eating of a can of beans impact the environment? [3]

Answer 3

1. Power is used to plough the soil and harvest the crop.
2. Energy is used to make the containers.
3. Transporting the beans and tins to the processing plant releases carbon dioxide emissions.

Question 4

What are renewable resources?

Answer 4

Resources that do not run out and can be used again and again (e.g. Wind, sun, water). They are sustainable.

Question 5

What are non-renewable resources?

Answer 5

Resources that are in limited supply and cannot be replaced within a human lifetime once they are used (e.g. Coal, oil, natural gas). They are unsustainable.

Question 6

Explain how acid rain is formed and how it impacts on the environment. [3]

Answer 6

1. Carbon from carbon dioxide reacts with water vapour in the air to form carbonic acid, which is acid rain.
2. Increased carbon dioxide emissions leads to more acid rain being produced.
3. Acid rain causes weathering of buildings, where they are corroded and may change colour.

Question 7

Explain how increased carbon dioxide emissions leads to global warming.

Answer 7

1. Increased levels of carbon dioxide trap heat in our atmosphere.
2. The sun emits short wave radiation to the Earth, almost 70% of which is absorbed by the Earth’s surface.
3. The Earth reradiates the remaining 30% to the air above in the form of long wave radiation.
4. This outgoing heat is trapped by a layer of greenhouse gases, namely carbon dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.

Question 8

What is the UK’s largest carbon footprint in?

Answer 8

Recreation and leisure

Question 9

Define the term sustainable.

Answer 9

A way of using resources so that they are not destroyed and remain available for future generations to use.

Question 10

Why do we use renewable energy?

Answer 10

To avoid resource depletion.

Question 11

What is resource depletion?

Answer 11

Where a resource is being used faster than it can be replaced, which means it will eventually run out.