Geol 9 Exam 1

What takes up the most energy consumption in NYC?

The Transporation Sector

What takes up the least energy consumption in NYC?

The Industrial Sector

What is the biggest energy consumer in NYC?

Petroleum

What are the Major Elemental Cycles in the Earth Cycle?

Water, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus

What is the Composition of Earth's Atmosphere?

78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% other gases

What are the two gases that contribute to Global Warming?

Carbon Dioxide and Methane

What drives changes in Earth's temperatures?

Changes in the amount of solar radiation that comes from Earth and Changes in the amount of terrestrial radiation that leaves Earth

What is the Milankovitch Cycle?

A cycle of the changing Earth tilt. (from an estimated 22 degrees to 25 degrees), which takes an estimated 41,000 years

How does outgoing radiation change?

Change in albedo and change in the thermal radiation from Earth back into space

What is Albedo?

the proportion of the incident light or radiation that is reflected by a surface, typically that of a planet or moon.

What is the Greenhouse effect?

the trapping of the sun's warmth in a planet's lower atmosphere

What are Greenhouse Gases?

CO2, H20, Methane, and N20. They are also Polar Molecules.

What is not a Greenhouse Gas?

Non-Polar Molecules. Most of our atmosphere is made up of molecules that do not have a charge, (02 and N2)

What is a Carbon Reservoir?

A place where carbon is stored. Examples are Sedimentary rocks are the largest carbon reservoirs.

What is the Smallest Carbon Reservoir?

Atmospheric Methane

What is Biomass?

Biomass is smaller than atmospheric CO2 AND Oceanic CO2

What is photosynthesis?

Process by which CO2 is reduced to organic carbon using energy from the sunlight

What is Respiration?

Process by which organic carbon is oxidized to inorganic carbon (C02) (aerobic respiration with 02)

What is decomposition?

Microbes break down organic matter (plants, animals, fungi). The organic matter becomes soil and carbon is released to the atmosphere as methane or carbon dioxide during microbial respiration.

Are natural factors the cause of rising temperatures on Earth?

No! There is no evidence of this.

Increase in temperature and carbon dioxide levels are correlated. True or false?

True!

What is the Fast Carbon Cycle?

the movement of carbon through life forms on Earth, or the biosphere

What is the Slow Carbon Cycle?

moves carbon between the atmosphere, lithosphere and oceans

What are examples of the Fast Carbon Cycle?

Photosynthesis, respiration, and CO2

Fossil Fuel burning moves what?

moves carbon from the slow into the fast carbon cycle

What are examples of Slow Cycling of Carbon?

CO2 return to atmosphere from volcanoes, weathering of rocks

What are sinks for C02?

Ocean and Land, otherwise atmospheric levels would be higher.

Which gases have a higher warming potential?

Methane and Nitrous Oxide

What is a source for N20?

Agricultural production processes, microbial activity, fertilizer manufacturing

What is a sink for N20?

Bacteria, atmospheric chemistry

What are the effects of Volcanoes?

Releases greenhouse gases, cooling gases such as sulfates and aerosols

What is a climate record proxy?

Information on past temperature and climate that you can't get with measurements

What are types of Proxies?

Ice cores, Corals, stalactites, tree rings

What is an isotope?

Atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons

What is a Climate model?

A mathematical representation of the physical processes that control climate.

How can we reduce Global C02 Emissions?

Having net negative C02 Emissions globally

What is CDR?

CDR removes carbon already in the atmosphere

What is CCS (carbon capture and storage) ?

-it is used to reduce the amount of CO2 building up in the atmosphere
-it works by collecting CO2 from power stations before its released
-the caputed CO2 can then be pumped into empty gas/oil fields without adding to the greenhouse effect

What is Solid Direct Air Capture?

Capture CO2 on a sorbent or material, heat solid material to drive off CO2, capture for storage, and then reuse sorbent

What is Liquid Direct Air Capture?

Pass air through liquid that absorbs CO2 (like hydroxide), apply heat to liquid to capture C02 and reuse the liquid

What is Biological Carbon Cycle?

plants taking carbon dioxide and converting it to sugars, the plants are eaten by herbivores taking up the carbon

What is BECCS?

Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage. Promotes growth of plants that can be used as biofuels, then captures the carbon generated from the biofuel for sequestration and storage.

What are ways to trap CO2?

A structural trap, which requires trapping CO2 within rocks as they are not permeable. A residual trap, which requires injecting C02 remains in pore space after injection. Solubility trap, which requires C02 to dissolve in water. Mineral trap, which requires precipitation of carbonate minerals.

What do Grid Failures lead to?

They lead to blackout and brownouts

What is ConEdision?

operate one of the world's largest energy delivery systems. Founded in 1823 as the New York Gas Light company, our electric, gas, and steam service now provides energy for

What are the two types of grid disturbances?

Acute and Chronic. Chronic disturbances can lead to massive issues from chronic events.

What are the causes of chronic grid disturbances?

a lack of investment in infrastructure

What is an Energy Transition?

Long term structural change in energy systems such as types of sources and energy distribution

What are Major Historical energy transitions?

From solar powered to coal

From coal to natural gas and oil

What are the effects of fossils fuels transitioning to renewables?

-Decentralizing production- such as a rooftop solar, minitarue reactors

-Decarbonizing emissions-wind, solar, nuclear

What are the energy goals for NYC?

-Phase out gasoline-powered cars

-No more oil/gas burning heaters and boilers

-Plans for industry to bear more burden than individuals