EESC Exam 2 Review Questions

What are two Mechanisms Causing Sea Levels To Rise

1. Thermal Expansion: by which ocean water absorbs heat and expands, contributing to sea level rise.

2. Melting Ice: in which land-based ice, like glaciers and ice sheets, melts and adds water volume to the oceans, causing sea level rise.

The Antarctic

Where is the most severe Ozone Depletion?

Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) interpretation & Axises

A model suggesting that environmental degradation initially increases with economic development, but decreases as nations prioritize sustainability.
x-axis = economic development
y-axis = environmental degredation

Sources of Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)

Primary sources include fossil fuel combustion, deforestation, and cement production.

Sources of Methane (CH₄)

Main sources include livestock digestion, landfills, and natural gas leaks.

Sources of Nitrous Oxide (N₂O)

Sources include fertilizers, biomass burning, and some industrial processes.

Stratospheric Ozone

Ozone that absorbs harmful UV radiation, protecting life on Earth.

Tropospheric Ozone

Ozone that forms from pollution and contributes to smog, which harms human health.

Montreal Protocol

An international agreement aimed at phasing out chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) responsible for ozone depletion.

Radon

A natural radioactive gas produced from the decay of uranium in soil, contributing to indoor air pollution.

Chlorine in Ozone Depletion

A catalyst that breaks down O₃ molecules in the stratosphere, primarily sourced from CFCs.

Thermal Inversion

A meteorological phenomenon where warm air traps cooler air below, leading to accumulated pollutants.

National Source Performance Standards (NSPS)

Regulations that apply to direct emissions; ozone is considered a secondary pollutant resulting from other emissions.

Cumulative Effects of Pollution

The combined emissions from various sources that can exceed safe levels, even if individual facilities comply with regulations.

Fine Particulates (PM₂.₅)

Small particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs, causing more health issues than larger particles like PM₁₀.

Greenhouse Gas Radiation

The mechanism by which gases absorb long-wave infrared radiation from Earth, trapping heat in the atmosphere.

CO₂-equivalents

A way to compare the global warming potential of different greenhouse gases, standardizing their impact.

Radiative Forcing

The change in energy balance in the atmosphere caused by factors such as greenhouse gases.

Seasonal Cycle in Atmospheric CO₂

The fluctuation of atmospheric CO₂ levels, decreasing in spring/summer due to plants' absorption and increasing in fall/winter due to decay.

Permafrost Melt Feedback Loop

The process in which melting permafrost releases greenhouse gases, further warming the climate and causing more melting.

Wildfires as Feedback Loops

The cycle of warming leading to more fires, which release CO₂ and exacerbate warming.

Mitigation

Efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as transitioning to renewable energy.

Adaptation

Adjusting to climate change impacts, such as constructing sea walls.

Ocean Acidification

The process by which CO₂ dissolves in seawater, forming carbonic acid and harming marine life.

Natural CO₂ Sinks

Systems that absorb CO₂, including oceans and forests that store carbon through photosynthesis.

Impact of Land Ice on Sea Level

Melting land ice adds new water to the ocean, whereas melting sea ice does not significantly change sea levels.

National Source Performance Standards only apply to direct emissions and ozone is a secondary pollutant.

Why don’t NSPS Standards apply to Ozone?

Finer particles can penetrate much deeper into the lungs of living things (including humans) making them a much larger hazard than larger particulate matter which is often filtered out by the nose and upper respiratory system.

What is the difference in impact between fine particulate matter and larger particulate matter?