Topic 5 - Global Systems & Climate Change

Question 1

Focus 1
Define the geosphere.

Answer 1

The collective name for the earth’s atmosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere

Question 2

Focus 1
Define the lithosphere.

Answer 2

Includes the rocks and minerals on earth
This ranges from the molten rock and heavy metals in the deep interior of the planet to the sand on beaches and peaks of mountains.

Question 3

Focus 1
Define the hydrosphere.

Answer 3

The combined mass of water found on, under, and above the surface of the Earth.
Can be in the form of liquid, vapour or ice.
Includes rivers, oceans, clouds, snow and ice.

Question 4

Focus 1
Define the biosphere.

Answer 4

Includes all life in the geosphere.
Includes plants, animals, insects, microbes, and humans

Question 5

Focus 1
Define the atmosphere.

Answer 5

The layer of gases, commonly known as air, that surrounds the planet Earth and is retained by Earth’s gravity.

Question 6

Focus 1
Define pollution.

Answer 6

The presence in or introduction into the environment of a substance which has harmful or poisonous effects.

Question 7

Focus 1
Describe air pollution.

Answer 7

The contamination of air by smoke and harmful gases,
mainly oxides of carbon, sulphur, and nitrogen.

Question 8

Focus 1
Where does air pollution come from?

Answer 8

Exhaust fumes from vehicles.
Forest fires, volcanic eruptions, natural sources.
Burning of fossil fuels.

Question 9

Focus 1
What are the impacts of air pollution?

Answer 9

Air pollution is linked to asthma, allergies and other respiratory illnesses.

Question 10

Focus 1
What technologies can be used to reduce air pollution?

Answer 10

Catalytic converters.
Scrubbers.
Renewable energy.
CFH and HCFH substitutes.
Low-emission technologies.

Question 11

Focus 1
Describe land pollution.

Answer 11

Land:
The degradation of the Earth’s surface caused by a misuse
of resources and improper disposal of waste.

Question 12

Focus 1
Where does land pollution come from?

Answer 12

Litter found on the side of the road.
Illegal dumping in natural habitats.
Oil spills that happen inland.

Question 13

Focus 1
What are the impacts of land pollution?

Answer 13

Damage done to natural habitat of animals, deforestation and
damage done to natural resources.

Question 14

Focus 1
What technologies can be used to reduce land pollution?

Answer 14

Bioremediation (removes / neutralises pollutants in contaminated soil)

Question 15

Focus 1
Describe chemical pollution.

Answer 15

Presence or increase in our environment of chemical pollutants that are not naturally present there or are found in amounts higher than their natural background values.

Question 16

Focus 1
Where does chemical pollution come from?

Answer 16

Pre-made food items (e.g. preservatives, additives).
Children’s toys (e.g. paint, plastic additives).
Contaminated drinking water.

Question 17

Focus 1
What are the impacts of chemical pollution?

Answer 17

Can damage and impact ecosystems and human, animal, and plant-life.

Question 18

Focus 1
What technologies can be used to reduce chemical pollution?

Answer 18

Reusing and recycling plastic materials.
Decontamination technologies.

Question 19

Focus 1
Describe water pollution.

Answer 19

The contamination of any body of water (lakes, groundwater, oceans, etc.).

Question 20

Focus 1
Where does water pollution come from?

Answer 20

Raw sewage running into lakes or streams.
Industrial waste spills contaminating groundwater.
Illegal dumping of substances or items within bodies of water.
Oil spills.

Question 21

Focus 1
What are the impacts of water pollution?

Answer 21

Causes health issues in humans, animals and plant-life.

Question 22

Focus 1
What technologies can be used to reduce water pollution?

Answer 22

Physical & chemical treatment technologies.
Biological treatment technologies.
Advanced oxidation processes.
Recycling and reusing.

Question 23

Focus 1
Describe noise pollution.

Answer 23

Any loud sounds that are either harmful or annoying to humans and animals.

Question 24

Focus 1
Where does noise pollution come from?

Answer 24

Aeroplanes, helicopters, and motor vehicles.
Construction or demolition noise.
Human activities such as sporting events or concerts.

Question 25

Focus 1 What are the impacts of noise pollution?

Answer 25

Noise pollution can be disruptive to humans' stress levels, may be harmful to unborn babies, and drives animals away by causing nervousness and decreasing their ability to hear prey or predators.

Question 26

Focus 1 What technologies can be used to reduce noise pollution?

Answer 26

Noise barriers / sound walls. Noise reducing road surfaces. Electric vehicles.

Question 27

Focus 1 Describe light pollution.

Answer 27

The brightening of the night sky inhibits the visibility of stars and planets by the use of improper lighting of communities.

Question 28

Focus 1 Where does light pollution come from?

Answer 28

Extra, unnecessary lights around the home. Cities that run lights all night long.

Question 29

Focus 1 What are the impacts of light pollution?

Answer 29

Wastes energy (and hence increases production of CO2). May affect human health and sleep cycles. Can also cause disruption to animal breeding and/or migration (e.g. Bogong Moths)

Question 30

Focus 1 What technologies can be used to reduce light pollution?

Answer 30

LEDs and compact fluorescents (CFLs). Dimmers, motion sensors, and timers. Outdoor lighting fixtures. Switching off unnecessary indoor lighting. Avoiding the use of blue lights at night.

Question 31

Focus 1 Describe thermal pollution.

Answer 31

The change of local temperature (air or water) caused by human activities.

Question 32

Focus 1 Where does thermal pollution come from?

Answer 32

Warmer lake and river water from nearby manufacturing / mining effluent. Colder river water spilling from hydroelectric dams. Increase in air temperatures in areas with lots of concrete or vehicles, generally in cities

Question 33

Focus 1 What are the impacts of thermal pollution?

Answer 33

Can cause aquatic life to suffer or die due to the increased temperature, can cause discomfort to communities dealing with higher temperatures, and will affect plant-life in and around the area.

Question 34

Focus 1 What technologies can be used to reduce thermal pollution?

Answer 34

Building artificial lakes. Cooling lakes. Cooling towers. Water recycling.

Question 35

Focus 2 Describe how organisms grow by adding new mass (biomass)

Answer 35

Organisms grow by adding mass (biomass) Carbon is the central ingredient in creating biomass In a process called carbon fixation, plants transform CO2 (an inorganic carbon compound) into organic carbon compounds Plants use organic carbon compounds for energy, growth, and metabolism (chemical processes) The amount of carbon stored in biomass depends on the balance of carbon input via photosynthesis and carbon output via respiration

Question 36

Focus 2 Describe the process of photosynthesis.

Answer 36

Plants and algae use sunlight energy, carbon dioxide, and water (inorganic compounds) to make carbohydrate organic carbon compounds, such as glucose, and oxygen. Carbon dioxide + water + energy → glucose + oxygen 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy → C6H12O6 + 6O2 Plants use some of these carbohydrate sugars immediately for energy, growth, and maintenance Carbon cycle process which moves carbon atoms from the atmosphere into trees, plants, and most food webs through ingestion (biosphere)

Question 37

Focus 2 Describe the process of cellular respiration.

Answer 37

Cellular process where organisms convert carbohydrates (glucose) and oxygen into carbon dioxide, water, and energy. Glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water + energy C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy Carbon cycle process which moves carbon atoms out of plants and into the surrounding air, soil, or water (geosphere)

Question 38

Focus 2 Describe the process of biosynthesis.

Answer 38

Carbon cycle process which generates gains in biomass; Net Primary Production (NPP) is a measure of the amount of carbon stored mostly as biomass. If carbon input via photosynthesis is greater than carbon output via respiration, trees will biosynthesis more biomass resulting in greater carbon storage and higher measures of NPP (and vice versa)

Question 39

Focus 2 Compare autotrophs to heterotrophs as part of the food web.

Answer 39

Autotrophs (plants) make their own food in the form of glucose sugar (photosynthesis) Heterotrophs (animals, etc) must find and eat food made of carbon compounds such as proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids They break down these complex organic carbon compounds into smaller molecules and use the carbon atoms to bio synthesise new organic carbon compounds

Question 40

Focus 2 Describe small microbes as part of the food web.

Answer 40

Small microbes (bacteria and fungi) decompose dead material and break down larger carbon compounds into smaller carbon compounds This process releases CO2 to the surrounding soil and atmosphere in a process called soil respiration Soil microbes move carbon into the soil where it can be stored for hundreds of years Soil microbes change nitrogen compounds into forms that can be used by plants

Question 41

Focus 2 Describe how carbon compounds can be extracted by humans in the form of fossil fuels.

Answer 41

Carbon compounds can also be extracted by humans in the form of fossil fuels, which are then burned to produce energy and heat and in the process release carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere. The rate by which humans extract and burn fossil fuels has increased rapidly since the Industrial Revolution, meaning that the amount of carbon dioxide being released back into the atmosphere has also increased rapidly 90% of global CO2 emissions come from burning fossil fuels and industry Emissions from coal (42%), oil (33%), gas (19%), cement (6%) and gas flaring (1%)

Question 42

Focus 2 Describe the role of greenhouse gases in global warming.

Answer 42

As carbon dioxide, water vapour, and methane are released, they act as greenhouse gases and trap heat within the atmosphere Due to increasing amounts of greenhouse gases being released into the atmosphere, more and more heat is being trapped in the atmosphere (enhanced greenhouse effect) (global warming)

Question 43

Focus 2 How does global warming impact the Earth's climate?

Answer 43

Increasing temperatures impact the Earth's climate: Leads to increased evaporation rates → increased amounts of water vapour in the atmosphere → more heat is trapped in the atmosphere → more water is evaporated Leads to disruptions to the climate and global water cycles which also lead to more frequent extreme weather events. Changes to climate may endanger a number of plant and animal species.

Question 44

Focus 2 Explain how agricultural practices release carbon both indirectly and directly.

Answer 44

Indirectly through burning fossil fuels to run machinery and fertilisers based on fossil fuels. The direct release of carbon is through Ploughing and harvesting through disturbing the soil, burning straw stubble, etc Slash-and-burn techniques for livestock rearing Livestock digestive processes produce methane (5.5 tonnes (20%) of the USA's total emission of methane originate from cattle) Bacteria in the waterlogged soil of rice fields produce methane as a bi-product In rice fields, soil microbes also produce nitrous oxide, a very potent greenhouse gas. The impact of these gases in the atmosphere is roughly equivalent to 1,200 coal power plants 50% of the world’s population relies on rice as their primary food source

Question 45

Focus 2 Describe how urbanisation has an impact on the carbon cycle.

Answer 45

Urbanisation has a significant impact on local carbon cycles Stores, such as trees, are removed; parks are replaced with housing; surfaces are replaced with concrete pavements Just 2% of Earth’s total land area is urban but is responsible for 97% of anthropogenic (human caused) CO2 emissions Emissions originate from transport, industry, and land development Cement and concrete are the key building materials in the process of urban development Globally, the cement industry contributes around 7.5% of total anthropogenic CO2 emissions

Question 46

Focus 2 Describe how deforestation has an impact on the carbon cycle.

Answer 46

Deforestation generates 20% of global CO2 emissions Undisturbed forestry is carbon neutral as any decomposition and its slow release of CO2 is compensated through the growth of new vegetation Burning of wood for heating or clearing woodland (slash and burn), along with wildfires immediately releases CO2 into the atmosphere Conversion of woodland into grass for livestock (cattle) rearing reduces the system’s ability to absorb CO2 in the future, making it a carbon source instead of a carbon sink Deforestation means that less trees are available to absorb CO2, creating imbalance within the carbon cycle