Exam 2: Lesson 4
The stratosphere begins at what altitude?
10 miles
How many tons of carbon (as carbon dioxide) are released into the air each year?
7 billion tons
Which pollutants come from mobile sources?
All of the above hydrocarbons (paraffins, olefins, napthalenes, aromatics), nitrogen oxide (NO, NOx, NO2), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and particulates (any material collected on a filtering medium after exhaust dilution)
Which one of the following chemicals leads to the destruction of ozone?
CFCs
Which one of the following are all greenhouse gases?
CH4, HCFCs, H2O, CO2
Primary pollutants
CO, SO2, NOx, VOCs (unburnt hydrocarbons)
When carbon in a fossil burns, it combines with oxygen to form _____.
CO2
Which one of the following gases interferes with the function of hemoglobin in the blood?
Carbon Monoxide
Without carbon dioxide in the atmosphere the Earth would be ______.
Cooler
Carbon dioxide is the only product when burning coal.
FALSE
Carbon when completely oxidized forms carbon monoxide.
FALSE
Coal accounts for the highest amount of carbon dioxide emissions in the US.
FALSE
Combustion processes cause depletion of the ozone layer.
FALSE
Currently natural gas usage accounts for the highest amount of carbon dioxide emissions in the US.
FALSE
From the ice core data, the concentration of CO2 during previous fluctuations (over the past 400,000 years) was higher than today's concentration.
FALSE
Greenhouse gases have the ability to absorb the UV radiation.
FALSE
High clouds do not trap the infrared radiation that enters into the Earth's atmosphere.
FALSE
If the air did not contain carbon dioxide, the planet would be hotter.
FALSE
Most of the NOx that is emitted is in the form of NO2.
FALSE
Once destroyed, stratospheric ozone cannot be re-formed.
FALSE
Primary particles are formed in the atmosphere from primary gaseous emissions.
FALSE
Sulfates formed from SO2 emissions from power plants and industrial facilities are "Primary" particles
FALSE
Sun spots can decrease the radiation from the Sun.
FALSE
The greenhouse effect is a man-made phenomenon.
FALSE
Without the greenhouse effect Earth would be a better place to live for humans.
FALSE
Aerosols (formed from sulfate particles) can cause the the planet to warm up. Aerosols (formed from sulfate particles) can cause the planet to cool down.
FALSE TRUE
Approximately 90% of the NOx emissions from combustion devices are in the form of NO2. Approximately 90% NOx of the emissions from combustion devices are in the form of NO.
FALSE TRUE
PM10 is a term used for particles that are larger than or equal to 10 µm (micro meter) in diameter. PM10 is a term used for particles that are SMALLER OR EQUAL to 10 µm (micro meter) in diameter.
FALSE TRUE
Currently China emits the largest amount of CO2 into the atmosphere due to increasing fossil fuel consumption. The US emits the largest amount of CO2 in the world due to the combustion of fossil fuels.
FALSE TRUE
Ground level ozone is produced directly by combustion. Most of the ground level ozone is produced _____.
FALSE indirectly by combustion of fossil fuels
In the last century the global temperature has ______.
Gone up 1 degrees F
Carbon Dioxide emissions may be reduced by which one of the following strategies?
Improving power plant efficiency
As a result of global warming, global precipitation would _____.
Increase
Which one of the following causes global climate change?
Increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere due to human activity
Atmospheric concentrations of methane in the last 150 years have _____.
Increased
Volatile organic compounds are emitted primarily from which source?
Industrial and commercial processes
Which one of the following is true about the ozone hole?
It has a variable area throughout the year.
Nitric acid is formed when _____.
NO is oxidized in the atmosphere to form NO2 and then dissolved in clouds
Nitrogen in the fuel when burned can form _____.
NOx
Which gases contribute to ozone formation at the ground level? Which of the following is not needed to produce ground level ozone?
Nitrogen Oxides SO2
Which gases cause respiratory illness when exposed to over the long run?
Nitrogen Oxides, Sulfer Dioxide
Secondary pollutants
Ozone and Smog
Sulfur when burned forms _____.
SO2
Sulfuric acid is formed when _____.
SO2 is oxidized in the atmosphere to form SO3 and then dissolved in clouds
Analysis of ice cores provides the composition of the past air, which can be used to determine the past temperatures for approximately hundreds of thousands of years.
TRUE
Burning of a fossil fuel is a reaction of elements in the fuel with oxygen.
TRUE
CFCs are created only by humans.
TRUE
Earth is a natural greenhouse.
TRUE
Earth's axis of rotation can cause some natural fluctuations in the energy received from the sun.
TRUE
Excessive greenhouse gases in the atmosphere due to anthropogenic emissions retains more heat than normal.
TRUE
Formation of ozone at the ground level involves VOCs and NOx in the presence of sunlight.
TRUE
Global climate change critics argue that due to increased concentration of CO2 we are seeing more forestation and that climate change is not a serious problem.
TRUE
Greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere are steadily increasing.
TRUE
Low level clouds shield the Earth's surface from the Sun's radiation. This reduces the amount of solar radiation reaching the surface of the Earth thereby cooling the Earth.
TRUE
Minerals in fossil fuels turn into ash when oxidized (burnt).
TRUE
NOx react in the air with VOCs to form ground-level ozone which is associated with adverse health effects.
TRUE
Nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) together are represented by NOx.
TRUE
One of the ways to reduce greenhouse gases is to use energy efficent appliances.
TRUE
Potential Global Warming can lead to melting polar ice caps.
TRUE
Short-term exposures to low levels of NO2 may lead to changes in airway responsiveness and lung function in individuals with preexisting respiratory illnesses.
TRUE
Some groups of scientists argue that an atmopshere rich in CO2 is good for plants.
TRUE
Some of the fuel that does not burn is emitted as unburnt hydrocarbon compounds.
TRUE
The atmospheric temperature and CO2 concentration changed prior to the pre-industrial periods.
TRUE
The increase in the greenhouse gases since industrialization began is believed to be causing an increase in the global temperature over the past 150 years.
TRUE
The primary source for nitrogen oxide emissions in the US is MOTOR VEHICLES
TRUE
The use of petroleum products accounts for the highest amount of carbon dioxide emissions in the US.
TRUE
Without the greenhouse effect, Earth would be uninhabitable.
TRUE
Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons comprised of primarily carbon and hydrogen and some sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, and mineral matter. Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons comprised of primarily sulfur and hydrogen and some carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and mineral matter.
TRUE FALSE
Methane and nitrous oxide have what impact on the atmosphere?
Trap Heat
Stratospheric ozone layer is good for us because it prevents harmful ________ radiation from reaching the earth
UV
Which one of the following countries has the highest carbon dioxide emissions?
United States
Ozone forms by the reaction of nitrogen oxides and _____.
VOCs
Hydrogen when burned forms _____.
Water
Particulate matter (PM) is the general term used to describe _____.
a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air
You are at the most risk of lung damage due to smog if you are _____.
a young child
The difference in average temperature between today and the last Ice Age (10,000 to 12,000 thousand years ago) is _____.
about 9 degrees F
CO emissions are higher for vehicles when the engine is
at low speeds
Most SO2 emissions come from which source?
fuel combustion in power plants
Ozone is _____ when breathed by humans.
harmful
Ozone is good for the environment at _____.
high altitude (about 10 km)
The Greenhouse Effect occurs because carbon dioxide absorbs _____.
infrared radiation
The largest ozone hole _____.
is over Antarctica
Which one of the following will reduce vehicular NOx emissions?
keeping the car well tuned
In large cities, ozone is at the highest concentration at which time of day?
late afternoon
The ozone hole has _____.
lower than 220 Dobson units of ozone concentration
Which of these is not responsible for increasing atmospheric CO2?
photosynthesis
Which of the following actions can reduce VOC emissions?
pumping gasoline after sunset
Where is the bulk of Earth's ozone located?
stratosphere
Results of recent climate models suggest that projected greenhouse gas emission patterns may lead to a global warming of 1.5 to 4.5 degrees Celsius during _____.
the next century
The energy that causes our atmosphere to heat up comes from _____.
the sun
Global warming occurs when _____.
the total energy arriving at the earth is more than the energy leaving
How many tons of carbon in the form of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases are released globally into the air each year?
twenty seven billion tons
Sulfates and nitrates that form in the atmosphere from sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions contribute to _____.
visibility reduction