TOPIC 4 ATMOSPHERE

Question 1

What is the composition of the atmosphere?

Answer 1

78% nitrogen
21% oxygen
0.04% carbon dioxide
1% other gases
0.000007% ozone

Question 2

How does the atmosphere support life of earth?

Answer 2

• gases for natural processes
• absorption of electromagnetic radiation from the sun
• delaying the escape of infrared radiation
• heat distribution
• ocean currents
• transport of water vapour

Question 3

4 atmospheric layers from bottom to
top?

Answer 3

Troposphere
Stratosphere
Mesosphere
Thermosphere

Question 4

What layer is the ozone present in?

Answer 4

Stratsophere

Question 5

What is a human activity that increases carbon dioxide?

Answer 5

Combustion of fossil fuels

Question 6

What is a human activity that increases methane?

Answer 6

Anaerobic respiration by microbes

Question 7

What is a human activity that increases nitrogen oxides?

Answer 7

Vehicle exhaust emissions

Question 8

What is a human activity that increases CFC’s?

Answer 8

Aerosol propellants
Fire extinguishers

Question 9

What is a human activity that increases tropospheric ozone?

Answer 9

Photochemical breakdown of NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) and subsequent reactions with oxygen

Question 10

What is the cryosphere?

Answer 10

Frozen water part of the earth system

Question 11

Provide an example of a consequence of climate change?

Answer 11

Eg. Small populations may become isolated if they retreat up a mountain where it is cooler or being stuck on an island due to sea level rise

Question 12

Climate change def?

Answer 12

Long term change in average weather patterns

Question 13

An example of a consequence of the retention of more heat energy within the atmosphere?

Answer 13

Changes in atmospheric pressure and evaporation of water which produces new weather patterns

Question 14

What is happening to jet streams as a result of climatic changes?

Answer 14

Moving nearer to the pole, moving more slowly and follow a more meandering path

Question 15

Why are the jet streams caused by?

Answer 15

Caused by difference in temperature and density between warm air in mid latitudes and cold air in polar latitudes

Question 16

why are jet streams going through changes?

Answer 16

Because polar regions are warming faster than areas near equator so temperature differences that create jet streams are smaller

Question 17

Two reasons why rising temperatures cause an increase in sea level?

Answer 17

• Melting land ice
• Thermal expansion

Question 18

What is thermal expansion?

Answer 18

Warmer atmosphere heats sea water which expands

Question 19

Why do ice shelves not cause sea level to rise when they break up?

Answer 19

As they are already displacing water while floating

Question 20

4 reasons why changes in atmosphere can influence changes ocean currents?

Answer 20

• winds cause surface water to move
• evaporation
• heating or cooling changes density of surface water
• changes in salinity

Question 21

What is the North Atlantic Conveyor (Gulf Stream)?

Answer 21

Movement of layers of surface and deep water in the Atlantic Ocean which distributes energy

Question 22

What wavelength is completely absorbed by o2 and o3?

Answer 22

UVC <less than 280 nm

Question 23

What wavelength is almost fully absorbed?

Answer 23

UVB 280-320 nm

Question 24

What wavelength is not absorbed?

Answer 24

UVA 320-400 nm

Question 25

What was designed to reduce use of all ozone depleting substances?

Answer 25

Montreal Protocol 1987

Question 26

What are primary pollutants?

Answer 26

released directly from human activities

Question 27

What are secondary pollutants?

Answer 27

produced by chemical reactions involving primary pollutants

Question 28

Effects of tropospheric ozone?

Answer 28

toxic to plants damage to human tissues breathing difficulties if ppbv goes above 60+

Question 29

Where is tropospheric ozone?

Answer 29

ground level ozone

Question 30

How can we control tropospheric ozone?

Answer 30

reduce levels of primary pollutants as it is a secondary pollutant