Soils
1. most clays are made from these types of minerals.
2. this soil buffering mechanism operates near what pH?
3. this soil buffering mechanism operates near what pH?
4. this soil buffering mechanism operates near what pH?
5. give two examples of physical weathering.
6. give two examples of chemical weathering.
Ozone cycle
1. What does CFC stand for?
2. What were CFC’s used for by humans?
3. Given one name of the current CFC replacements.
4. What specific chemical structural feature makes the CFC replacements have a lower
ozone destroying potential?
5. What features of the south pole make it susceptible to massive ozone destruction?
Early/Current Atmosphere
1. the early atmosphere of Earth is thought to be devoid of this gas, which is in high
conc. today.
2. UV radiation at the surface of the earth was likely high because this compound was
missing.
3. evidence for the changeover from an anaerobic to aerobic atmosphere can be seen in
these rock formations.
Atmospheric layers
1. name the atm layers in order from closest to the surface to farthest.
2. describe the temperature profile of the stratosphere and why it is that way.
3. describe the temperature profile of the troposphere and why it is that way.
4. If an atmospheric reaction required UV-C radiation for its initiation, in which layers
of the atmosphere could this reaction occur?
5. Explain why water and other not-so-volatile gases usually do not escape the
troposphere.
photochemical reactions
1. what is considered the detergent of the atmosphere?
2. Write the radical oxidation of hydrocarbons in the atmosphere that form an aldehyde.
Air Pollution
1. what two major chemical ingredients is classical smog composed of?
2. what is the major fuel source of classical smog?
3. what three major chemical ingredients is photochemical smog composed of?
4. what is the major source of photochemical smog?
5. what two chemicals generate acids in the atmosphere?
Kinetics/Thermodynamics
1. What does the G tell you about the favorability of a reaction or of the formation of a
specific species?
2. What does the Ea tell you about the speed of a reaction?
3. What is a catalyst, how can you identify it, and what does it do for a reaction?
Engines
1. what pollution component do diesel engines output that gasoline engines do not?
2. Give two reasons why two-stroke engines have much larger hydrocarbon emissions
than four-stroke engines.
3. What is the advantage that biodiesel has over petroleum-based diesel fuel in terms of
engine performance.
4. what two advantages do 2-stroke engines have over 4-strokes?
5. what pollutant does 4-stroke exhaust have more than 2-stroke exhaust and why?
S2014 updates:
1. given the following reaction, derive the equation for the lifetime of O3
a. O3 + NO → NO2 + O2
b. If the rate constant for this reaction changes as a
[NO]
k
function of the time of day, what is the lifetime at
Time (mcs/cm3) (cm3/(mcs ∙sec)
night and during the day (see table)? At which time
Night
3.0×1010
1.9×10-15
12
does O persist longer?
Day
4.7×10
7.1×10-14
2. Calculate the DG of the following reaction.
a. N2 + O2 → 2NO
b. Is the formation of NO favorable?
c. What accounts for the persistent presence of NOx given your conclusion?
3. What is the oxidation state of nitrogen in NH3 and NO3-? Which is likely to be the
most stable in an oxygen rich atmosphere?
4. Compare the metabolic energy harvested by microbes when they use O2 or SO42- as
the oxidant. Which yields the highest energy and under what conditions would you
see each reaction?
5. What are the most common compounds in inorganic soil?
6. Describe the organic content of soil as a function of soil horizon.
7. Describe the concentration of the hydroxyl radical as a function of time. How does
daylight affect the concentration?
8. Describe, in general, how photochemical smog produces ozone. What are the
necessary ingredients? Why does ozone accumulate?
9.