PHY 237

Question 1

The densest part of the atmosphere extends only ____ above the surface

Answer 1

a few kilometers

Question 2

___ is the dominant form of energy in the atmosphere

Answer 2

radiation

Question 3

____ is a measurement of the heat content of air at a location and time

Answer 3

temperature

Question 4

Temperature depends on

Answer 4

how much radiation is present

Question 5

Greenhouse gases

Answer 5

certain gases in the atmosphere that absorb radiation emitted by the earth

Question 6

The atmosphere serves to

Answer 6

keep the earth warmer than it would be

Question 7

The _____ is a property of minor gases

Answer 7

greenhouse effect

Question 8

Greenhouse gases

Answer 8

CO2
CH4
O3
CFC
N2O
H2O (vapor)

Question 9

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Answer 9

Established in 1988 - function to periodically report on climate changes to member countries of the UN

Question 10

Carbon Dioxide

Answer 10

concentration increases by 1 to 3 ppm every year

Question 11

Carbon Dioxide and Plants

Answer 11

Plants remove CO2 from the atmosphere by photosynthesis
Plants release CO2 through respiration
CO2 concentration decreases in Spring/Summer and increases in Fall/Winter

Question 12

Methane (CH4)

Answer 12

Accounts for ~9.5% of all greenhouse gas emissions from human activities

Question 13

Methane is produced by

Answer 13

bacteria acting on organic material in oxygen-free environments

Question 14

Natural gas is about ___% methane

Answer 14

90%

Question 15

CH4 is removed from the atmosphere through

Answer 15

bacterial processes in soil and chemical reactions

Question 16

Methane’s lifetime in the atmosphere is [longer/shorter] than CO2

Answer 16

shorter

Question 17

Methane is [more/less] efficient at trapping radiation than CO2

Answer 17

More

Question 18

Ozone (O3) can be good or bad for your health depending on

Answer 18

where in the atmosphere it is found

Question 19

Stratospheric ozone

Answer 19

considered good because it abosrbs ultraviolet radiation from the sun and protects living things

Question 20

Tropospheric ozone

Answer 20

bad for the environment because it triggers a variety of health problems, particularly for children, the elderly, and people of all ages who have lung diseases such as asthma

Question 21

The EPA

Answer 21

Environmental Protection Agency regulations help states reduce ozone levels in outdoor air

Question 22

How ground-level ozone is formed

Answer 22

Tropospheric ozone is created by chemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds - this happens when pollutants emitted by cars, power plants, chemical plants, etc, chemically react in the presence of sunlight

Question 23

Ozone is the most likely to reach unhealthy levels

Answer 23

on hot sunny days in urban environments

Question 24

Ozone can be transported by

Answer 24

wind, so even rural areas can experience high ozone levels

Question 25

At any given time, ozone molecules are constantly formed and destroyed in the

Answer 25

stratosphere

Question 26

The Ozone Hole

Answer 26

In 1985, a dramatic decrease in stratospheric Ozone was detected over Antartica

Question 27

H2O as a positive feedback mechanism

Answer 27

Warming by CO2 --> more H2O in atmosphere --> more warming because water is a greenhouse gas --> more water is evaporated

Question 28

Global Warming Potential (GWP)

Answer 28

a measure of how much radiation energy one ton of an atmospheric gas will absorb over a specific period relative to one ton of CO2

Question 29

Impact of Aviation

Answer 29

air travel is responsible for ~5% of human-caused global warming

Question 30

Contrail clouds

Answer 30

line-shaped clouds produced by aircraft engines exhaust typically at aircraft cruising altitudes

Question 31

Contrails are formed primarily of

Answer 31

water (ice crystals)

Question 32

CORSIA

Answer 32

Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation an agreement by the UN calling on airlines to reduce greenhouse emissions in international flights by using lighter fuels, using airplanes of lighter materials, improved aircraft design, and modifying flying patterns

Question 33

Carbon Intensity

Answer 33

how much fossil fuel is burned to produce a certain economic output; not the amount of carbon emitted, but a number prorated by the gross domestic product (GDP)

Question 34

If the GDP and emissions both increase by 5 percent in a given year, the carbon intensity would

Answer 34

remain unchanged

Question 35

Factors contributing to decline in US CO2 Emissions

Answer 35

major shift from coal to natural gas higher automobile emission standards popularity of electric vehicles decreasing the cost of solar energy