unit 9 vocab Flashcards
A by-product of combustion of any fuel in the atmosphere, and is 78% nitrogen.
nitrogen oxides
carbon monoxide, CO, and carbon dioxide, CO2. is naturally produced by respiration and metabolism, and consumed by plants in their photosynthesis.
carbon oxides
Pollutant compounds that contain carbon-hydrogen bonds, for example: gasoline, perfumes
hydrocarbons
A gas composed of 3 oxygen atoms found in the stratosphere that protects us from harmful ultraviolet rays
ozone
the layer of the atm. above the troposphere, extending roughly 16 to 50 km above the surface of Earth.
stratosphere
a layer of the atm. closest to the surface of Earth, extending up to approximately 16 km
troposphere
Undetectable with the human eye, most of it is emitted by the Sun, absorbed by ozone in Earth’s atmosphere
UV radiation
are nontoxic, nonflammable chemicals containing atoms of carbon, chlorine, and fluorine. They are used in the manufacture of aerosol sprays, blowing agents for foams and packing materials, as solvents, and as refrigerants
CFC’s
a species that plays a far more important in its community than its relative abundance might suggest
Keystone species
the decline or disappearance of biological diversity
Biodiversity loss
the process by which an increase in ocean CO2 causes more CO2 to be converted to carbonic acid, which lowers the pH of the water
Ocean Acidification
gradual thinning of Earth’s ozone layer in the upper atmosphere caused by the release of chemical compounds containing gaseous chlorine or bromine from industry and other human activities.
Ozone thinning
Deplete the Ozone Layer is the landmark multilateral environmental agreement that regulates the production and consumption of nearly 100 man-made chemicals referred to as ozone depleting substances
Montreal Protocool
tiny particles or gases that are released into the air from different sources
Emissions
A gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation.
Greenhouse gases
how many parts a certain molecule or compound makes up within the one million parts of the whole solution.
Parts per million
part of the electromagnetic spectrum. People encounter Infrared waves every day; the human eye cannot see it, but humans can detect it as heat.
Infrared Radiation
“deliberate large-scale manipulation of the planetary environment to counteract anthropogenic climate change”
Gioengineering
an increase in the level of the world’s oceans due to the effects of global warming.
Sea level rise
is a process that occurs after energy from a planet’s host star goes through the planet’s atmosphere and heats the planet’s surface.
Greenhouse effect
referred to as climate change or global warming, is the impact on the climate from the additional heat retained due to the increased amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that humans have released into the earths atmosphere since the industrial revolution.
Enhanced greenhouse effect
A mechanism in which a change in some condition triggers a response that intensifies the changing condition
Positive Feedback
These particles impact climate through direct scattering and absorption of incoming solar radiation. It can alter cloud properties, the formation of clouds and precipitation. Ex: when hairspray is used.
Aerosol Effect
is the tendency of matter to change in volume in response to temperature alterations.
Thermal expansion
an impermeable, permanently frozen layer of soil
Permafrost
an approach to stabilizing greenhouse gases by removing CO2 from the atm.
Carbon capture and storage/carbon sequestration
a species that is in danger of extinction within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range
Endangered species
(habitat destruction, invasive species, population growth, pollution, climate change, and over exploitation) describes the main factors leading to a decrease in biodiversity.
HIPPCO
