Name _____________________________________________
Period ______________
Climate and Air Pollution Study Guide Key
1. Which of the following best exemplifies global collaboration for a sustainable environment?
The Montreal Protocol
2. The polar regions radiate away more heat energy than they receive from the Sun in the course
of a year. However, they are prevented from becoming progressively colder each year primarily
by the
Transport of heat through the atmosphere and oceans from the equator up to the poles
3. Which of the following is a process that indirectly removes carbon from Earth’s atmosphere?
Formation of carbonate (CO32-) deposits in oceans. A balanced amount of CO2 in the
atmosphere will produce carbonate ions in the ocean that will form CaCO3 or coral reefs in
the coastal/Neretic zone over the continental shelf. If there is an excess of CO2 in the air,
then the water tends to become too acidic because the carbonate ions for carbonic acid
H2CO3, which will reduce the number of coral reefs formed and reduce the number of
carbon sinks available to form carbon.
4. Most data indicate that, during the past 100 years, mean global annual temperature has
Increased by 0.5°C
5. Which of the following actions would be the most effective in decreasing acid rain and acid
deposition problems?
Reducing use of fossil fuels!!!
6. Which gases have been implicated in contributing to the increase in global temperatures via the
greenhouse effect ?
CH4, N2O, CO2, CFCs
7. Which of the following substances is released by CFCs and catalyzes a chain reaction that breaks
down ozone in the upper atmosphere?
Chlorine
8. Ozone near Earth’s surface is on the increase. This ozone near the surface is undesirable
because it
Is a strong oxidant (has a strong tendency to accept electrons from another element or
polyatomic ion, causing that compound or element to lose electrons. Therefore, it has its
charge reduced because it gains negative charges (electrons)) and a respiratory irritant.
9. In models of global warming, the most important factor contributing to an increase in sea level
is
Thermal expansion of the oceans
10. Which of the following best describes the mechanism of the greenhouse effect in Earth’s
atmosphere?
Infrared radiation from Earth’s surface is absorbed by gases in the atmosphere.
11. Which of the following not only results from greenhouse warming but also contributes to
additional warming of Earth (i.e., is a positive feedback process)?
Decreased area of snow/ice cover reduces the amount of infrared rays that are reflected
back into space. Normally, ice reflects most of the infrared rays back into space. However,
when infrared rays from the sun hit the surface of the water, the water absorbs the infrared
rays (heat), and as the water heats up, it melts the ice caps. The ice melting exposes more
surface of the water, which absorbs more heat, and causes more ice to melt. It ends up being
cyclical process.
12. Which of the following is most likely a significant cause of the general trend indicated by the
graph above?
Increase in consumption of fossil fuels, which increases CO2 production.
13. Which of the following most directly explains the periodic fluctuations of the curve on the graph
above?
Seasonal variations in photosynthetic activity cause fluctuations in the graph. In the
summer and spring, the northern hemisphere receives more direct sunlight. In the winter
and fall, the northern hemisphere receives less direct sunlight or sunlight at a smaller angle,
so there is less light reactions of photosynthesis happening, which means that less carbon
dioxide is being taken in.
14. Scientific studies and models indicate we need to prevent CO2 levels from reaching an
irreversible tipping point of _____ ppm, which could set into motion large-scale, long-term
changes.
450 ppm
15. Which of the following shows approximate concentration of CO2, N2, and O` in dry air?
CO2
N2
O2
<1%
78%
21%
16. Possible effects of a warmer atmosphere include which of the following?
Expanded ranges of tropical diseases
More intense hurricanes and typhoons (storms)
Increased crop damage from pests and diseases
More coastal flooding and submerged low lying areas
17. Which of the following is a greenhouse gas that is produced by domestic livestock?
CH4 methane
18. Most often cited as the causative factor for acid deposition _sulfur dioxide___
19. Considered harmful in the troposphere but beneficial in the stratosphere __Ozone__
20. Is the major pollutant that electrostatic precipitators are designed to remove from power-plant
smokestack emissions __Particulate matter (such as dust and polyatomic ions)__
Questions 21-22 refer to the information and chart below.
In 1997, the World Resources Institute estimated the world’s proven oil reserves to be 1,000
billion barrels and the ultimately recoverable reserves to be 2,000 billion barrels. The table
below shows the world consumption of oil from 1986 to 1997.
Year
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
Consumption (million barrels per day)
62
63
65
66
66
67
67
67
68
70
72
74
21. At the 1997 rate of consumption, about how long will the estimated 2,000 billion barrels of oil
last?
(74 million barrels/day)(365 days/year) which is the same as (7.4x107)(3.65x102)=
27.01x109 = 2.7x1010 in proper scientific form
(2,000,000,000,000 barrels)/(2.7x1010 barrels/year), which is the same as
(2x1012)/(2.7X1010) = 74.074 years = about 75 years
22. What was the approximate percent increase in consumption from 1986 to 1997?
74-62=12
12/62 x 100 = 19.3548%, which is about 20%
23. The three main anthropogenic sources of gaseous air pollutants in the United States are
Industry, transportation, and energy production
24. If Earth had no atmosphere, the mean surface temperature would be approximately -15°C.
With our present atmosphere, Earth’s mean surface temperature is approximately +15°C.
Which of the following is the best explanation for this difference?
Absorption of infrared radiation by atmospheric gases, such as greenhouse gases.
25. Ground-level ozone in most major United States cities results primarily from
Motor-vehicle exhaust, because there are a lot of cars that burn fossil fuels!!!
26. Global warming is most likely to directly cause which of the following?
Coastal flooding and submersion of low-lying areas
27. Which of the following is an important contributor to both global warming and ozone
depletion?
A release of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) to the atmosphere
28. Which of the following actions would reduce global greenhouse emissions?
Replacing coal-burning power plants with wind farms
29. Which of the following would be the strongest evidence in support of a scientist’s contention
that a local area was experiencing acid deposition?
An increase in the concentrations of soluble heavy metals in a local pond
30. Which of the following factors is fundamentally responsible for seasons on Earth?
The tilt of Earth’s axis of rotation
31. The graph above shows the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita versus the annual electric
energy consumption per capita in 2004. Iceland is not on this graph for 2004, but by 2009, Iceland
had increased its GDP to $40,000, and energy consumption up above 30,000 kwH per capita mainly
by relying on geothermal energy. What is geothermal energy? How is electricity generated from a
geothermal source? How is this different than coal powered energy?
Geothermal energy is energy that is generated by capturing heat energy from the mantle of the
earth. People who live where the earth’s crust is relatively thin (like along tectonic plate
boundaries) drill into the earth, and create a well with hot water, which is heated by the earth,
creating steam. The Steam turns a turbine (like it does with electrical energy), which fuels a
generator which converts the mechanical energy into electrical energy, which can then be stored
and transmitted through the use of transmitters and substations out to homes and businesses.
This is very similar to coal powered energy, but coal powered energy starts with the surface mining
of coal, which requires deforesting the land, and potentially causing acid mind drainage of sulfur
compounds into local aquatic ecosystems. The coal is then transported to a power plant where it is
burned, emitting sulfur dioxide, particulate matter and other air pollutants into the air, which
decrease air quality. The burning coal generates heat energy which then heats a boiler, which
creates steam energy, which turns a turbine that fuels a generator which converts the mechanical
energy of the turbine into electrical energy which can be sent out in the same way that geothermal
energy is sent out. Coal energy is only 30% efficient though, which is less efficient than natural gas
use and definitely way less efficient than geothermal energy.
32. Despite its low GDP per capita and low annual electrical energy consumption per capita, China
has become the world’s largest emitter of CO2. Explain this apparent contradiction.
China has a huge population! It has over 1 billion people living in that country, so even though their
per capita (per person) use of electricity is low. The total amount that they use as a country is huge!
33. In addition to contributing to increased atmospheric CO2 concentrations, China is facing other
air pollution issues related the generation of electricity. Identify one such issue and describe the
impact it has on human health.
The production of SO2, Nitrous oxides, CHx or volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter
are all reducing the quality of the air as massive amounts of coal are being burned. These things are
all respiratory irritants, which cause problems ranging from throat irritations and asthma to lung
disease, and chronic bronchitis.
34. Two countries shown on the graph have developed domestic energy sources: sugarcane in
Brazil and tar sands in western Canada.
a. Describe the process of fuel production from sugar cane.
Sugar cane is extracted by harvesting it because it is a plant. It is processed by burning the biomass
b. Describe the process of fuel production from tar sands.
c. Describe TWO disadvantages of using the energy source that you chose in part (34a).
d. Which of the two energy sources is more sustainable? Justify your answer with an explanation.