topic 9- continued

Question 1

what is water vapour and what does it change depending on

Answer 1

• variable

- depends on the temperature

Question 2

what are water vapour, carbon dioxide and methane all an example of

Answer 2

greenhouse gases

Question 3

1) how does energy travel from the sun to the earth

Answer 3

as short wavelength radiation e.g. ultraviolet

Question 4

2)what happens to some short wavelength radiation

Answer 4

it reflects back into space but most of it passes through the atmosphere

Question 5

2) how does most short wavelength radiation not pass through the earth

Answer 5

because the the short wave length radiation does not interact strongly with the gas molecules in the atmosphere

Question 6

When is the energy of the radiation absorbed

Answer 6

When it reaches the surface of the earth

Question 7

How does the surface of the earth radiate the energy

Answer 7

As long wavelength radiation such as infra-red

Question 8

What does some long wavelength radiation do with molecules in the atmosphere and what happens to the energy

Answer 8

It interacts with the greenhouse gas molecules in the atmosphere

-the energy in the long wavelength radiation is absorbed

Question 9

What causes the temperature of the atmosphere to increase

Answer 9

Because the long wavelength energy is trapped in atmosphere

Question 10

what causes the temperature of the atmosphere to increase

Answer 10

because the energy is trapped in the atmosphere

Question 11

what does the greenhouse effect do

Answer 11

it keeps the temperature of the earth warm enough to support life

Question 12

what is the effect of burning fossil fuels

Answer 12

carbon dioxide is increasing

Question 13

what is carbon dioxide being absorbed by

Answer 13

trees

Question 14

what are rain forests being destroyed by

Answer 14

deforestation

Question 15

what is released by agriculture

Answer 15

methane

Question 16

what 2 human activities releases carbon dioxide

Answer 16

• burning forests

- burning fossil fuels

Question 17

how is the temperature of the atmosphere rising (2)

Answer 17

• as carbon dioxide levels are increasing

- more of the energy from the sun is trapped

Question 18

what will lead to increased sea levels

Answer 18

rising temperatures increasing= melting of the polar ices sheets

Question 19

what could increased sea levels lead to

Answer 19

flooding

Question 20

effects of climate change (2)

Answer 20

• severe weather changes

- increased sea levels

Question 21

the work on climate change is … …. by other scientists

Answer 21

peer-reviewed

Question 22

why do scientists peer-review each others work

Answer 22

to help prevent false claims

Question 23

why is there a problem with understanding climate change

Answer 23

because climate change is complex and difficult to model

Question 24

what is speculation

Answer 24

where some stories are bias or only some info is given out

Question 25

what are some of the uncertainties of understanding climate change

what can this lead to …

Answer 25

we cannot predict with certainty how much the temperature of the atmosphere will increase

speculation

Question 26

what is a CARBON FOOTPRINT

Answer 26

the total amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emitted over the full life cycle of a product, service or event

Question 27

how can we reduce carbon dioxide emissions

Answer 27

• by insulating homes or turning down the heating
• use public transport
• switch to renewable energy resources

Question 28

what is the problem of reducing how much carbon dioxide we emit

Answer 28

• it is too expensive

- sometimes can be inconvenient

Question 29

how is lots of methane released

Answer 29

grazing cattle such as cows release methane when they pass wind

Question 30

how can the amount of methane emitted be reduced

Answer 30

• eat less beef or less diary products

- trapping methane and burning it to produce electricity

Question 31

why is using methane to produce electricity good

Answer 31

because methane is a much powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide

Question 32

when do fuels release energy

Answer 32

when they are combusted

Question 33

what 2 elements do fuels contain

Answer 33

hydrogen and carbon

Question 34

what happens when we burn fuels

Answer 34

the carbon and hydrogen atoms react with oxygen in the air- they are oxidised

Question 35

what is methane found in

Answer 35

natural gas

Question 36

what do you need to make complete combustion occur

Answer 36

plenty of oxygen

Question 37

methane + oxygen ——->

Answer 37

carbon dioxide + water

Question 38

from the equation (methane + oxygen —> co2 + water)

what happens if the amount of oxygen is reduced

Answer 38

we make carbon monoxide instead of carbon dioxide

Question 39

what is carbon monoxide

Answer 39

a toxic gas

Question 40

how much nitrogen is there in the atmosphere today

Answer 40

78%

Question 41

how much oxygen is there in the atmosphere today

Answer 41

21%