Unit 2

Question 0

The 3 resources and services found in the lithosphere?

Answer 0

1. PHYSICAL RESOURCES for human exploitation such as Mined metal ores, non - metal minerals and fossil fuels.
2. BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES, which recycle essential biological elements such as carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus.
3. THROUGH SOIL, which provides the growth medium for most plants on land, the habitat for many organisms and the location for part of all the biogeochemical cycles.

Question 1

How does a catalytic converter work?

Answer 1

The catalytic converter promotes the oxidation of CO and hydrocarbons and the reduction of nitrogen oxides. 2NO → N2 + O2

Question 2

Layers of the lithosphere?

Answer 2

Central core
Outer core
Mantle
Crust

Question 3

3 types of rock?

Answer 3

Sedimentary
Metamorphic
Igneous

Question 4

Where is the maximum ozone concentration found in the atmosphere?

Answer 4

The stratosphere

Question 5

Why is tropospheric ozone bad?

Answer 5

Toxic to plants

Toxic to animals

Question 6

3 types of uv and if it is absorbed?

Answer 6

UVA - not absorbed
UVB - most is absorbed
UVC - all absorbed, also most mutating

Question 7

Why are HCFCs (hydrocloroflurocarbons) good alternative to CFCs?

Answer 7

• breakdown quickly

- don’t reach the stratosphere

Question 8

% of gasses in the atmosphere?

Answer 8

Nitrogen (N2) - 78%
Oxygen (O2) - 21%
Carbon dioxide (CO2) - 0.04%

Question 9

How are greenhouse gasses a good thing?

Answer 9

Without greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, the earth would be a cold and lifeless world.
They re - emit longer wave infrared radiation from the earth and heat the lower layers of the atmosphere.

Question 10

Name some mineral mining / extraction costs?

Answer 10

• transport / machinery costs
• buying the land
• labour force
• removal of over burden
• hydrology of area e.g. Water table
• cost of restoration

Question 11

Processing costs for minerals?

Answer 11

• Extraction from other elements. To break the bonds energy is needed, the stronger the bonds the more energy required ( can use electrolysis to break bonds, can use hydroelectric power or geothermal).
• purity of the ore, the amount of metal in the ore e.g. 10% / 20% etc.

Question 12

What does the term cut of grade mean in terms of ore?

Answer 12

Is the lowest ore impurity that can be exploited economically. This is affected by your costs and price of metal.

Question 13

Industrial uses of oxygen, nitrogen, ozone, carbon dioxide?

Answer 13

Oxygen - welding
nitrogen - fertiliser manufacture
Ozone - steriliser
Carbon dioxide - fire extinguishers

Question 14

How can you use ice cores to find out information about past atmospheres?

Answer 14

With the air bubbles trapped in the ice you can tell how much co2 was in the atmosphere. Also you can estimate the temperature by looking at the ration of oxygen isotopes in the ice. H2O16 : H2O18

Question 15

Name some environmental consequences of mining?

Answer 15

1. Exploration - seismic surveys which include explosions. Can interfere with whale and dolphin navigation.
2. Land take - habitat destruction which will lead to a decrease in local biodiversity. Also conflicts with other uses like national parks is common.
3. Pollution:
   - burning fossil fuels by machinery and transport
   - noise pollution from machinery and blasting (can use battle mounds and silencers on machinery to reduce this pollution)
   - dust pollution which can cover plants to reduce photosynthesis also not good for lungs (can use water sprays to wash dust out of air)
4. Toxic leachate sulfides will oxidise by O2 and combine with water to make sulphuric acid. Then heavy metals will dissolve in the acid to form the toxic leachate

Question 16

How can the cut off grade of a metal alter?

Answer 16

• supply and demand

Question 17

Steps used to create copper?

Answer 17

1. Copper ore “sulphide ore”
2. Smelting - heated to break bonds
3. Silica added to take up impurities to form slag
4. Forms Matt - 60% copper
5. Air forced through to oxidise sulphur to sulphuric acid
6. Forms blister copper 97%
7. Anode vessel reduces material to form 99% pure copper.
8. Electrolysis used to form 99.99% pure copper

Question 18

Mining extraction methods?

Answer 18

1. Quarrying - extraction of shingle, sand, limestone - all near surface
2. Shaft mining - mine which is accessed by shaft only and reaches the deep deposits - very dangerous risks of gas (methane explosion), dust (affect lungs) and flooding.
3. Slope mining - mine at a slope to reach deposit which is also at a slope.
4. Open cast mining - there are loads of over burden to remove but easier to remove and transport ore. Also safer because no roof and gasses vent to atmosphere and flooding more manageable.