Chemistry - Atmospheric Chemistry

• How much Nitrogen is in todays atmosphere?

  78%
• What is the evolution of the atmosphere?

  1st billion years - lists of volcanic activity - main gases released = carbon dioxide and water vapour - nitrogen, ammonia and methane - water vapour condensed to make oceans
• How did carbon dioxide reduce?

  Dissolved in the oceans - became locked up in carbonate precipices - forming sedimentary rocks - locked up in fossil fuels - algae and plants - photosynthesis
• How did oxygen increase?

  Algae and plants - photosynthesis
• How did nitrogen increase?

  Bacteria produced nitrogen - volcanoes produced nitrogen
• What is the photosynthesis equation?

  Carbon dioxide + water -> glucose + oxygen
• What is a greenhouse gas?

  A gas that absorbs long wavelength infrared radiation given off by the Earth but does not absorb the sun‘s radiation. Warms up the global temperature
• What are the 3 main greenhouse gases?

  Water vapour

  Carbon dioxide

  Methane
• What are the effects of climate change?

  Rising sea levels

  Extreme weather events such as severe storms

  Change in amount and distribution of rainfall

  Changes to distribution of wildlife species with some becoming extinct
• How do humans increase the carbon dioxide levels?

  Burning fossil fuels

  Deforestation
• What is a carbon footprint?

  The total amount of greenhouse gases emitted over the full life cycle of a product/event. This can be reduced by reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and methane
• What can be done to fix our carbon footprint?

  Energy conservation

  Alternative energy sources

  Carbon off-setting

  Carbon taxes and licenses

  Carbon capture and storage

  Use of Carbon neutral fuels