Atmosphere

• Early earth 


  4.6 billion year ago-

  Big hot molten ball

  Covered in volcanoes

  Rocks and minerals
• Gas levels in early earth

  O2- 0%

  N2- 3%

  CO2- 95%

  Other- 2%
• When did life on earth begin?

  3.4 billion years ago
• changes in gas levels

  nitrogen- increased as unreactive

  oxygen- increased from photosynthesis

  volcanoes- produced many gases, but water vapour condensed to form oceans

  CO2- decrease due to dissolving in oceans, photosynthesis, formation of fossil fuels, locked into sedimentary rock
• what is the evidence for early earth

  gas bubbles trapped in ancient rocks

  data from other planets
• Pollutants 


  substance that is released into the environment through human or natural activity and negatively affects the environment
• Sulphur dioxide 


  Made from impurities in fuel reacting with oxygen

  EFFECTS-

  Acid rain

  Causes respiratory problems
• What does acid rain do


  Harm animals in lakes, plants, damages limestone and metal
• Nitrogen oxide 


  Gases from air react due to high temp from engines

  EFFECTS-

  Asthma trigger

  Acid rain
• Particulates 


  Burning diesels- Carbon + Unburnt hydrocarbons

  EFFECTS-

  Global dimming

  Cause of cancer
• Carbon monoxide


  By incomplete combustion By incomplete combustion

  It is colourless and odourless

  EFFECTS-

  Very poisonous as binds with red blood cells
• CO2 increase 


  From

  Fossil fuels burned for electricity/heating

  Human destruction of forests and oceans
• Methane increase 


  From

  imcrease of cows (decomposing waste)

  more humans = more waste (decomposers in landfill sites)
• solutions to fix increasing CO2 


  Taxing/ laws on fossil fuels

  Pump underground for porous rocks to absorb (capture and storage)
• solutions to fix increasing methane 


  Decreasing demands for cows/ their beef

  Waste management
• Greenhouse effect 


  Short wavelength radiation from sun

  Earth surafce absorbs energy

  Then re-emits longer wavelength radiation (to cool down)

  Greenhouse gases absorb long wavelength radiation and they vibrate and heat