APES Ch 15/19 Study Guide
The Montreal Protocol
-An agreement signed by 24 countries in 1987 -Resolved to reduce CFC production by 50% by 2000 -Eventually amendments signed by 180 countries -Result: concentration of chlorine in the stratosphere has stabilized at about 5 ppb
Anthropogenic carbon sequestration
-Chemical system to capture CO2 -Geo-sequestration - inject CO2 into geologic formations, sometimes in different forms, such as CaCO2 -CO2 "scrubbing" - remove the CO2 prior to, during or after combustion
Intention of Kyoto Protocol
-Complex system that allows countries to "buy" emission credits from other countries that have a surplus of credits -Developed countries tend to emit more -Developing countries tend to emit less -"Cap" and "Trade" - cap emissions and trade "green technology" (how is this win-win?)
Carbon Dioxide - CO2
-Found naturally - product of cellular respiration (burning glucose in the cells of living organism) -Preindustrial level 280 ppm (determined from core samples of glaciers) -Initial reading at Mauna Loa 1958 315 ppm -April 21, 2018 reading Mauna Loa 411 ppm
Tropospheric Ozone: The Problem
-Ground-level ozone is a component of photochemical smog -Ozone harms both plants and animals -In people it causes respiratory inflammations such as asthma and emphysema
Ozone Layer Depletion
-Involves stratosphere -Loss of O3 primarily due to CFCs -Ozone layer beneficial as protection from UV-B and UV-C -Consequence - increased skin cancer, damage plants -Eliminate CFCs, alternates
Global Climate Change
-Involves troposphere -Caused by build up of greenhouse gases -GHG layer harmful as warming troposphere -Consequences in many sectors - agriculture, etc -Decrease fossil fuel use and deforestation
Kyoto Protocol
-Negotiated in 1997 and put into force in 2005 -A legally binding agreement in which industrialized countries collectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions -Signed by 192 countries (June 2013)
Stratospheric Ozone Loss: The Cause
-Primarily CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons), but also brominated CFC (bromofluorocarbons) CFCs "attack" the O3 (ozone) molecule which causes a chain reaction - thousands of ozone molecules can be destroyed by one chlorine atom -The main uses of CFCs was as a propellant in aerosol cans, in refrigerators and air conditioners -Most of the world has stopped using CFCs, and scientists report that the hole in the ozone layer in 2016 was 20% lower than in 2005
Not Found In Nature (GHG)
Chlorofluorocarbons - CFCs - GREATEST heat trapper. Currently, still some use as coolants. Sulfur hexafluoride - SF6 - gas released in producing energy - insulation, cables, switches
Greenhouse Gases
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Water (H2O) Methane (CH4) Nitrous Oxide (N2O) Ozone (O3) Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6)
Stratospheric Ozone: The Problem
Definite thinning of the ozone layer was noted in 1985 specifically in the region of the South Pole
Methane - CH4
Found naturally - emitted by livestock, rice paddies, wetlands (natural anaerobic decomposition) Anthropogenic - in natural gas (fossil fuel) and released during oil production
Nitrous Oxide - N2O
Found naturally - within soil and oceans Anthropogenic - car emissions, use of fertilizers (nitrogen combines with atmosphere)
what two thing are NOT the same
Global Climate Change is NOT the same as Ozone Layer Depletion
Study of Climate Change
Ice cores - bubbles found yield information about past composition of the troposphere, temperatures, concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs) Direct temperature records from 1861 Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii records of the concentration of CO2 since 1958
Tropospheric Ozone: The Cause
In the presence of sunlight: WHEN an abundance of Nitrogen oxides (NO2 ) AND very few VOCs THEN O3 forms BUT when sunlight intensity goes down, O3 reacts with NO to make NO2 and O2 so the amount of ozone goes down again
The consequence of the loss of the stratospheric ozone
Increased skin cancers (malignant melanoma) diagnosed in Australia
Stratospheric Ozone: The Concern
Stratospheric ozone absorbs over 99% of UV-B and UV-C radiation, therefore is critical to life on Earth
Which greenhouse gas is NOT correctly paired with one of its sources? a. Nitrous oxide; landfills b. Methane; termites c. Water vapor; evaporation d. Nitrous oxide; automobiles e. CO2; deforestation
a. Nitrous oxide; landfills
Which of the following activities causes a cooling of the earth? a. Volcanic eruptions b. Emissions of anthropogenic greenhouse gases c. Evaporation of water vapor d. Combustion of fossil fuels e. Deforestation
a. Volcanic eruptions
Which of the following statements is NOT true about the greenhouse gases and global warming? a. CFCs damage the ozone layer and they are also a greenhouse gas. b. Damage to the ozone layer is the reason that global warming is happening. c. CFCs have the greatest greenhouse warming potential of all the greenhouse gas. d. Historically the greenhouse effect has been beneficial to the earth. e. Human activity does not seem to appreciably alter the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere.
b. Damage to the ozone layer is the reason that global warming is happening.
How are the terms 'Global Climate Change' and 'Global Warming' related to each other? a. Global climate change and global warming are synonyms of each other. b. Global warming refers to changes in the Earth's climate and Global climate change refers to one specific aspect of Global warming. c. Global climate change refers to changes in the Earth's climate and Global warming refers to one specific aspect of Global warming.
c. Global climate change refers to changes in the Earth's climate and Global warming refers to one specific aspect of Global warming.
Which statements about feedback loops that occur with climate change is true? a. All feedback loops are positive. b. All feedback loops are negative. c. Increased soil decomposition under warmer temperatures represents a positive feedback loop. d. Increased evaporation under warmer temperatures represents a negative feedback loop. e. Increased plant growth under higher CO2 concentrations represents a positive feedback loop.
c. Increased soil decomposition under warmer temperatures represents a positive feedback loop.
Which statement regarding the Kyoto protocol is true? a. Developed and developing nations all agreed to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases b. All nations agreed to stop their emissions of greenhouse gases c. The developed nations agreed to different levels of emission reduction d. Developing nations agreed to reduce their emission of greenhouse gases. e. Developing nations agreed to stop their emission of greenhouse gases.
c. The developed nations agreed to different levels of emission reduction
Which statement about global warming is TRUE? a. The planet is not warming b. The planet is warming, but humans have not played a role c. The planet has had many periods of warming and cooling in the past d. Greenhouse gases compose only a small fraction of the atmosphere, so they cannot be important in causing global warming e. Such small increases in average global temperatures could not cause any important effects on polar bears.
c. The planet has had many periods of warming and cooling in the past
The greenhouse effect happens when a. more UV radiation passes into the atmosphere as a result of the thinning of the ozone layer b. greenhouse gases absorb UV radiation as it enters the atmosphere and emit it as infrared radiation c. greenhouse gases absorb infrared radiation from the surface of the earth and emit it back towards the earth d. the ocean warms due to increased CO2 in the atmosphere and this, in turn, warms the atmosphere more
c. greenhouse gases absorb infrared radiation from the surface of the earth and emit it back towards the earth
In regard to the greenhouse effect, which statement is NOT true? a. Ultraviolet and visible radiation are converted to infrared radiation at the surface of the earth b. Approximately one-third of the radiation of the Sun does not enter the atmosphere of the earth. c. Infrared radiation is absorbed by greenhouse gases. d. Greenhouse gases were not historically present in the atmosphere. e. Ultraviolet radiation is absorbed by ozone.
d. Greenhouse gases were not historically present in the atmosphere.
Which predicted consequence of global warming has not yet occurred? a. Melting ice caps b. Rising sea levels c. Melting permafrost d. Shutting down the thermohaline circulation of the ocean e. Altered breeding and flowering times of animals and plants
d. Shutting down the thermohaline circulation of the ocean
Anthropogenic sources of methane include a. Livestock digestion b. Landfills c. Coal mining d. Rice cultivation e. All of these
e. All of these
Natural sources of greenhouse gases include a. volcanic eruptions that add CO2 to the atmosphere b. gut bacteria that are in termites that add methane to the atmosphere c. decomposition in low oxygen areas in wetlands that add nitrous oxide d. decomposition in low oxygen areas in wetlands that add methane to the atmosphere e. All of these
e. All of these
Which sources of data have been used to assess changes in global CO2 and temperature? I. Air bubbles in ice cores from glaciers II. Thermometers placed around the globe III. CO2 sensors placed around the globe a. I b. I and II c. I and III d. II and III e. I, II and III
e. I, II and III
Of the following factors, which ones are important when considering the effect of a greenhouse gas on global warming? I. How much infrared radiation the gas can absorb. II. How long the gas remains in the atmosphere III. The concentration of the gas in the atmosphere. a. I b. I and II c. I and III d. II and III e. I, II, and III
e. I, II, and III
Which of the following is NOT a greenhouse gas? a. Carbon dioxide b. Water vapor c. Methane d. Nitrous oxide e. Nitrogen
e. Nitrogen
agriforestry
is planting crops within the rain forest. Coffee, nuts, fruit trees - increases the carbon absorption, protects the forest and all of the inhabitants. (power of the consumer - purchase shade coffees and other food items from this type of planting which also supports "fair trade")
