Climate Change
How does deforestation contribute to climate change?
Deforestation reduces the number of trees that absorb CO2.
What greenhouse gas is released into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas?
Carbon Dioxide
What is air pollution?
Air pollution is the presence of harmful substances (pollutants) in the atmosphere.
What layer of the atmosphere does weather occur in?
Troposphere
What role do decomposers play in the carbon cycle?
Decomposers break down organic matter, returning carbon to the soil and atmosphere.
Discuss the impact of global warming on polar ice caps and why it is an issue.
The greenhouse effect causes polar ice caps to melt, leading to rising sea levels and habitat loss for polar species.
Explain the greenhouse effect.
The greenhouse effect traps heat in the atmosphere, keeping Earth warm enough to sustain life.
Explain the difference between primary air pollutants and secondary air pollutants.
Primary air pollutants come directly from the source while secondary air pollutants form from reactions with primary air pollutants.
In which layer of the atmosphere does meteorites burn up?
Mesophere
How does human activity impact the carbon cycle?
Human activities like burning fossil fuels and deforestation increase CO₂ levels, disrupting the carbon cycle.
Describe the role of fossil fuels in global warming.
Burning of fossil fuels increases the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere leading to global warming.
Name three activities that cause increased gases in the atmosphere.
Deforestation, Industrialization (factory emissions), Transportation (car emissions), Power Plants, Farming, Volcanic Eruptions, Waste Distribution
Name two effects of air pollution.
Acid Rain, Damage to Crops, Low Quality of Life, Discomfort and Diseases
What is the atmosphere made up of?
Nitrogen, Oxygen, Argon, and Trace Gases
Explain the role of bacteria in the nitrogen cycle.
Bacteria play a crucial role in converting ammonia into usable forms (nitrates and nitrites) for plants and returning it to the atmosphere.
Name two major consequences of climate change.
Melting Polar Ice Caps, Warming Oceans (More Powerful Storms), Global Warming
What is the difference between natural and enhanced greenhouse effect?
The natural greenhouse effect is the normal warming of the Earth, while the enhanced greenhouse effect is the additional warming caused by increased levels of greenhouse gases due to human activities.
Acid rain contains high levels of nitric and sulfuric acids. It is a side effect of air pollution and there are a few ways in which it can occur. Some effects of acid rain are global warming, increased ozone, polluted water sources, and damaged forests.
What is the purpose of the ozone layer?
The ozone layer protects the earth from harmful UV radiation.
What is the main reservoir of phosphorus?
sedimentary rock
What is the Paris Agreement?
The Paris Agreement is an international treaty on climate change that was signed in 2016 by 196 parties. It covers climate change mitigation, adaptation, and finance.
Name two of the four natural greenhouse gases.
Carbon dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide, Water Vapor
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are harmful to the ozone layer. They are released from banned products such as...
air conditioners, refrigerators, aerosol sprays
Name the layers of the atmosphere in order from closest to farthest from the Earth.
Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere, Exosphere
What is nitrogen fixation?
Nitrogen fixation is the process of converting nitrogen gas (N₂) from the atmosphere into a form that plants can use (like ammonia).