(Topic 9) Chemistry Of The Atmosphere (CGP Book)

Question 1

How do scientists believe the early atmosphere was formed?

Answer 1

Volcano eruptions

Question 2

What does scientist believe the early atmosphere was mainly made up of?

Answer 2

Carbon dioxide with virtually no oxygen
Nitrogen, which has built up overtime
Water vapour
Small amount of methane and ammonia

Question 3

What is phase one of evolution of the atmosphere?

Answer 3

Volcanoes gave out gases

Question 4

What is phase 2 of the evolution of the atmosphere?

Answer 4

Oceans, algae, and green plants absorbed carbon dioxide

Question 5

What is phase 3 of evolution of the atmosphere?

Answer 5

Green plants and Algae produced oxygen

Question 6

What occurred in phase 2 of evolution of the atmosphere?

Answer 6

• When water vapour condensed, it formed oceans
• Lots of carbon dioxide dissolved in oceans
• This formed carbonate precipitate that formed sediments on seabeds
• Green plants and Algae evolved and absorbed some carbon dioxide to carry out photosynthesis
• Marine animals evolved and their shell and skeletons contained carbonates from oceans
• Some of the carbon these organisms took in became locked up in rocks and fossil fuels after death

Question 7

What happens when plants, plankton and and marine animals die?

Answer 7

They fall to the sea bed and get buried by layers of sediment
Or the millions of years, they become compressed and form sedimentary rocks, trapping the carbon with them

Question 8

How are crude oil and natural gases formed?

Answer 8

From the deposits of plankton
These fossil fuels form reservoir under the sea bed when they get trapped in rocks

Question 9

What is coal and what is it made from?

Answer 9

A sedimentary rock made from thick plant deposits

Question 10

What is limestone and what is it made from?

Answer 10

A sedimentary rock
Mostly made up of calcium carbonated deposits from the shells and skeletons of marine organisms

Question 11

What happened in phase 3 of the evolution of the atmosphere?

Answer 11

Green plants and algae produced oxygen by photosynthesis
As oxygen levels built up in the atmosphere overtime, more complex life could evolve

Question 12

What gases make up today’s atmosphere?

Answer 12

80% nitrogen, 20% oxygen, and smaller amount of other gases roughly making up less than one percent of the atmosphere

Question 13

What are some examples of greenhouse gases?

Answer 13

Carbon dioxide, methane, and water

Question 14

What do greenhouse gases do?

Answer 14

Act like an insulating layer in the earths atmosphere, allowing earth to be warm

Question 15

How do greenhouse gases work?

Answer 15

• They don’t absorb the incoming short wavelength radiation from the Sun, but they do absorb the long wavelength radiation that gets reflected back off the Earth
• Then re-radiate it in all directions including back towards the Earth
  – The long with radiation is thermal radiation, so it resulting warming of the surface of the Earth, this is known as the greenhouse effect

Question 16

What human actions contribute to the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?

Answer 16

Deforestation
Burning fossil fuels
Agriculture
Creating waste, such as landfill sites

Question 17

What consequences could climate change have?

Answer 17

Increasing global temperature, polar ice caps melting, leading to rising sea levels, causing increased flooding in coastal areas and coastal erosion
Changes in rainfall patterns
Frequency and severity of storms
Changes in temperature and water availability

Question 18

What are carbon footprints?

Answer 18

A measure of the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released over the full life cycle of something

Question 19

How to reduce carbon footprints?

Answer 19

Renewable energy sources or nuclear energy instead of fossil fuels
Conserving energy and cutting waste
Increased tax from governments
Technology to capture CO2

Question 20

What does combustion of fossil fuels result in?

Answer 20

Gases and particles

Question 21

What is complete combustion?

Answer 21

When there is plenty of oxygen, so all of the fuel burns

Question 22

What is incomplete combustion?

Answer 22

If there is not enough oxygen, some of the fuel does not burn
This means solid particles of such and unburnt fuel are released and possibly the production of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide

Question 23

What can particles in the air cause?

Answer 23

If they are inhaled, they can cause damage leading to respiratory problems
Bad for the environment

Question 24

What can carbon monoxide lead to?

Answer 24

Stop blood from carrying oxygen around body
Does this by binding to him more globin in blood that normally carries oxygen so less oxygen is able to be transported
This can lead to fainting, a coma or even death
Does not have any colour or smell, so it’s very hard to detect

Question 25

What happens when sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides mix with clouds?

Answer 25

They form dilute sulphuric acid or dilute nitric acid, this then falls as acid rain

Question 26

Why is acid rain bad?

Answer 26

Kills plants and damages buildings and statues
Makes Metal corrode
Can be bad for human health, they cause respiratory problems