Environmental Problems

Question 1

What is 90% of crude oil used as?

Answer 1

A fuel

Question 2

How is crude oil used as a fuel?

Answer 2

It is burnt to release the energy stored inside it

Question 3

What are the 2 most prevalent things to burn crude oil as a fuel? What for?

Answer 3

1. Power stations - electricity
2. Cars - power engines

Question 4

What other substance can be burned as a fuel?

Answer 4

Pure hydrogen

Question 5

What is an advantage of using pure hydrogen as a fuel instead of crude oil?

Answer 5

Water vapour is the only substance produced from burning hydrogen

Crude oil produces other problematic substances

Question 6

What do most fuels (e.g. iol and coil) contain? (2)

Answer 6

1. Carbon
2. Hydrogen

Question 7

What happens when oil or coal combust?

Answer 7

The carbon and hydrogen oxidise to form carbon dioxide and water vapour

Question 8

Equation for the oxidisation of hydrogen and carbon in combustion of fossil fuels

Answer 8

hydrogen + oxygen -> carbon dioxide + water vapour (+ heat energy)

Question 9

What 3 things are produced when fossil fuels combust?

Answer 9

Heat energy

Question 10

What happens to the carbon dioxide and water vapour produced during the oxidisation of hydrogen and carbon?

Answer 10

They are released into the atmosphere

Question 11

If a fuel has sulfur impurities, what else will be produced when it combusts?

Answer 11

Sulfur dioxide

Question 12

What else will be formed if a fuel combusts at a high temperature?

Answer 12

Oxides of nitrogen

Question 14

What happens when there’s plenty of oxygen when a fuel burns - what is this called?

Answer 14

ALL the fuel burns

Complete combustion

Question 15

What happens if there’s not enough oxygen during the combustion of fossil fuels?

What is this called?

Answer 15

NOT all the fuel burns

Partial combustion

Question 16

During partial combustion, what is produced? (3)

Answer 16

​1. Particulates of soot (carbon)

2. Unburnt fuel
3. Carbon monoxide

Question 17

What is one of the gases that cause acid rain?

Answer 17

Sulfur dioxide

Question 18

When sulfur dioxide mixes with ____ it forms ____ ____ ____ .

This then falls as ____ ____ .

Answer 18

When sulfur dioxide mixes with clouds it forms dilute sulfuric acid.

This then falls as acid rain.

Question 19

What is the other substance that can be produced from burning fossil fuels, and causes acid rain?

Answer 19

Oxides of nitrogen

Question 20

What are the 4 negative impacts of acid rain?

Answer 20

1. Changes acidity in lakes - kills many plants and animals
2. Kills trees
3. Damages limestone buildings and stone statues
4. Possible links between acid rain and human health problems

Question 21

The benefits of ____ and ____ have to be balanced against the ____ ____ .

Answer 21

The benefits of electricty and travel have to be balanced against the environmental impacts.

Question 22

What have governments done in recognition of the importance of balancing the positives and negatives of using fossil fuels?

Answer 22

Made international agreements to reduce emissions of air pollutants such as sulfur dioxide

Question 23

How can we reduce acid rain?

Answer 23

By reducing suflur emissions

Question 24

How can we reduce sulfur emissions?

What is a disadvantage of this?

Answer 24

By removing sulfur impurities from fuel before it is burned

BUT

this costs more to do

Question 25

What are 2 disadnavtages of removing sulfur impurities from fuel before it is burned?

Answer 25

1. It **costs more** 2. It takes **more energy**

Question 26

Why does it take more energy to remove sulfur impurities from fuel before it is burned? Why is this another disadvantage?

Answer 26

**More fuel** is **burned** to remove it So **more** of the greenhouse gas **carbon dioxide** is **released**

Question 27

What are starting to be replaced to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions, and with what?

Answer 27

**petrol** and **diesel** with **low-sulfur** versions

Question 28

What do power stations now have? Why?

Answer 28

**Acid Gas Scrubbers** To take **out** the harmful gases **before** they release their **fumes** into the **atmosphere**

Question 29

What are the 3 ways of reducing acid rain?

Answer 29

1. Removing **sulfur impurities** from fuel **before** it is burned 2. Removing the **harmful gaases** from fumes **before** they are released into the **atmosphere** 3. **Reducing** our use of **fossil fuels**