Coal is primarily used for producing _________, whereas petroleum is primarily used for __________.
electricity; transportation
What states of matter can biomass be used in?
Solid, Liquid, Gas.
List the layers of the atmosphere in the order they exist from the Earth outward.
Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere.
List the six criteria pollutants. Which two are the most widespread health threats?
Carbon Monoxide, Ground-Level Ozone, Nitrogen Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide, Lead, and Particulate Materials. ; Two most widespread health threats: Particulate Material and Ground-Level Ozone.
List the greenhouse gases. What are the “big three” ones? Which one is produced by decomposition? Which one is responsible for most of the human-caused climate change?
Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide, and Synthetic Fluorinated Gases (HFCs, PFCs, and SFs). ; The “big three” - Carbon Dioxide, Methane, and Nitrous Oxide. ; Methane is produced by decomposition. ; Carbon Dioxide is responsible for most human-caused climate change.
Briefly explain the reactions that give us nuclear energy?
A neutron is used to hit atoms of uranium and split them, their neutrons then go on to split other uranium atoms in a chain reaction that releases a great amount of energy in the form of heat and radiation.
What energy gas is created when biomass decomposes by fermentation?
Natural Gas (methane).
List all the different types of ultraviolet ray. Which one is least harmful? Most harmful?
UV-A = least harmful, UV-B, and UV-C = most harmful.
What compounds leads to the creation of acid rain?
Sulfur Dioxide and Nitrogen Oxides.
How are photosynthesis and cellular respiration related?
They are opposite reactions. Photosynthesis takes in CO2 to make carbohydrate (sugar) molecules and O2. Cellular respiration takes in O2 and carbohydrates (sugar) and releases CO2.
List the worst cases of nuclear meltdown accidents. Why is this a problem?
Chernobyl accident (1986) in what is now Ukraine.
Fukushima Daiichi accident (2011) in Japan.
Three Mile Island accident (1979) in Pennsylvania, USA.
Explain how you can tell if the gasoline you purchase is an ethanol blend?
E followed by a number indicates the percentage of ethanol. For example, E85 means its 85% ethanol and 15% petroleum.
Why is the ozone layer so important?
Because it acts as a protective shield that protects life on the surface of the Earth by absorbing most of the harmful portions of the high-energy UV radiation coming from the sun.
What environmental problems are caused by acid rain?
Leaching of soil nutrients, releases substances toxic to trees and plants, damages paint, corrodes metals, form sulfates and nitrates in the atmosphere that impair visibility.
What is the greenhouse effect?
When solar radiation bounces from one greenhouse gas molecule to the next, becoming trapped, and increasing its warming potential.
What is the difference between active and passive solar energy?
Passive – manipulates the sun’s energy without the use of special devices. For example, sun radiates through window and warms the room.
Active – uses specialized devices that transform solar energy into another form. For example, photovoltaic cells or solar panels converting solar energy into electricity.
What are the benefits to using municipal solid waste as an energy source?
Decreases the amount of waste in landfills. ; Produces an energy source that is renewable.
What are CFCs? Why are the bad for the environment?
Chlorofluorocarbons, man-made compounds made up of chlorine, fluorine, and carbon commonly used as propellants in everyday products such as hair spray, paint, and deodorants. They are bad because they remain in the atmosphere for a very long time and release CI which repeatedly breaks down the ozone.
How do scientists monitor the concentrations of ozone in our atmosphere?
Since 1970, scientists use satellite measurements of the ozone concentration.
Which greenhouse gases have no natural sources?
Fluorinated gases (such as HFCs, PFCs, and SFs).
What are our first and second largest sources of renewable energy?
1st - Biomass; 2nd - Hydropower
List the top four gases, and their percentage, that make up our atmosphere.
Nitrogen (78.08%), Oxygen (20.95%), Argon (0.93%), and Carbon Dioxide (0.03%).
Outdoor air pollutant sources are classified into two types. Name them and give examples of each.
Stationary (Point) sources, such as plants, smokestacks, burning, construction sites, farmlands, and mines. ; Mobile (Nonpoint) sources, such as vehicles, aircrafts, ships, and trains.
What are VOCs? List sources of them.
Volatile Organic Compounds ; Natural sources – plants, bacteria, and guts of termites/ruminant animals. ; Synthetic sources – benzene, toluene, formaldehyde, vinyl chloride, chloroform, and phenols.
What is a scientific model? Why do scientists create them for the past as well as for the future?
A projection of what might happen in the future based on knowledge of current and past events. They create them for the past as a way of calibrating their model. If the model accurately represents the past, it most likely will accurately predict the future.