C9-Chemistry of the atmosphere

• what did volcanoes release?

  nitrogen, carbon dioxide, water vapour, methane, ammonia
• how did oceans form?

  -water vapour in the atmosphere condensed into oceans

  -carbon dioxide dissolved into oceans
• what did green plants and algae do?

  evolved and absorbed carbon dioxide to carry out photosynthesis
• how are sedimentary rocks formed?

  plants, plankton and marine animals die and fall into the seabed and get buried by layers of sediment

  over millions of years they get compressed and form sedimentary rocks, trapping carbon in them
• what did green plants and algae produce?

  oxygen
• what is the equation of photosynthesis?

  carbon dioxide + water = glucose + oxygen
• describe the greenhouse effect

  greenhouse gases absorb the long wavelength radiation that gets reflected back off the earth.

  they re radiate it back towards earth

  some goes back up to space

  the surface of the earth is then warmed up
• examples of human activity that increases greenhouse gases

  -deforestation

  -burning fossil fuels

  -agriculture, produce more methane

  -more landfill sites
• what is climate change?

  long term shifts in temperature and weather patterns
• what is global warming?

  gradual increase in the average surface temperature of the earth
• what are 4 consequences of climate change?

  -increased temperature leads to ice caps melting which causes sea levels to rise and increased flooding

  -changes in rainfall patterns

  -increased storms

  -destruction of habitats
• what is a carbon footprint?

  a measure of the amount of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases released over the full life cycle of something
• what are ways to reduce a carbon footprint?

  -use renewable energy sources or nuclear energy instead of fossil fuels

  -use efficient processes to conserve energy and cut waste

  -governments could tax companies on the amount of greenhouse gases they emit

  -governments can put a gap on emissions of all greenhouse gases that companies make and sell licenses for emissions up to that cap

  -technology captures co2 produced by burning fossil fuels before its released and then stored underground in oil wells
• problems in reducing carbon footprints

  -lots of work on technologies to lower co2 emissions to do

  -government is worried these changes will impact the economic growth

  -hard to make international agreements to sacrifice their economic development

  -people don't want to make changes to their lifestyle

  -isn't enough education for why to make changes
• what happens in incomplete combustion?

  some of the fuel doesn't burn

  solid particles of carbon and unburnt fuel are released and carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are produced
• what is the problem with carbon?

  -causes respiratory problems

  -causes global dimming
• what is the problem with carbon monoxide?

  -can't be seen or smelt so leads to death

  -highly toxic gas
• when is sulfur dioxide released?

  during the combustion of fossil fuels

  sulfur becomes oxidised

  leads to acid rain
• how are nitrogen oxides formed?

  due to high temperatures in burning, nitrogen and oxygen react

  leads to acid rain