Environmental Science Test 4: Climate Change

Global temperatures have varied quite a bit throughout Earth history, but now earth is heating up very fast

True

Greenhouse Effect

The process where atmospheric gases trap long wave radiation which keeps the earth warm

The current warming of the Earth is most likely due to a reduction in the amount of Greenhouse gases (GHG)

False

What are the 4 Greenhouse Gases

CH4 (Methane, 10%), CO2 (81%), Halocarbons (CFCs), N2O (Nitris Oxide)

Which of the GHG contributes most to the greenhouse effect

CO2

CO2 has the greatest warming potential due to two factors

Large forcing factor and long residency

Current pace of atmospheric CO2

In human history, atmospheric CO2 concentrations were about 280 ppm, now over 431 ppm which is +54%. Current pace is 426%

Which country is the greatest producer of CO2

China

In the last 20 years, only a few of the years have been some of the hottest on record, since there is a cooling trend

False

Temperatures

Temperature has increased 1.5.C in the last century. It is increasing at a faster rate, leading to almost 1.C in 50 years and .75.C in 25 years. Hottest year was 2024, 2nd hottest was 2023. The Northern Hemisphere of the globe is heating up the fastest.

As Greenland warms up, the speed has been reduced (especially the Jakobshaven Glacier)

False

Heating faster than rest of planet

The Arctic is heating up more rapidly than the rest of the planet, 20% reflected by vegetation and dark soil, 80-90% reflected by snow, 10% reflected by ocean

2 Strategies to deal with Global Warming

1. Mitigation: Reducing our GHG output

   1. Adaptation: Adjust to climate changes that are coming regardless; putting up with more heat, more severe storms, drought, sea level rise, increase in disease…

Global warming reductions

CO2: Reduce—best, sequester, capture

Reverse Warming: Geoengineering—bad

One impact of global warming is a net increase in species as they relocate closer to the equator

False

Adaptation

Adaptation might include putting up with more heat, more severe storms, drought, sea level rise, increased disease, changes in crop availability, and other life changes

One way we may reduce carbon input to the atmosphere is to pump captured CO2 from power plants and industrial facilities into old wells or down into the deep ocean floors

True

The Head of IPCC said, in the audio that the research data is unequivocal, there is global warming. 3 factors he sited:

1. Increasing global air and ocean temperatures

2. Rising global average sea level

   1. Decrease of snow and ice cover

According to the IPCC reports, the only GHG that is increasing is CO2

False

According to the IPCC reports, anthropogenic warming and sea level rise would continue for centuries, even if GHG concentrations were to be stabilized

True

According to the IPCC reports, mitigation efforts and investments over the next two or three decades will have a large impact on opportunities to achieve lower stabilization levels

True

Most common gases in the atmosphere

1. N2, 78%

2. O2, 21%

Aerosols

In addition to gases, the atmosphere contains fine particles (soot, sea salt, dust) and droplets known as…

3 natural sources of air pollution

1. volcanic smoke

2. ozone/VOCs

3. wildfires

3 Factors that determine the level of air pollution

1. amount of pollutants entering the air

2. volume of air in which pollutants can mix

3. how well nature removes substances

3 naturally occurring cleansers that help reduce the level of naturally occurring air pollution

1. Buffering (balanced by -OH)

2. Rain

3. Sun

2 main types of smog (mixed with moisture or activate by the sun)

1. industrial (color=gray)

2. photochemical (color=brown)

Atmospheric Inversion

Occurs when warm air above cooler air prevents air mixing

When there is an inversion in the atmosphere, cold air aloft traps warm air (and pollution) below

True

Denora, Pennsylvania 1948

Pollutant build up leading to multiple deaths (+London Fog killing 4000+)

The LA basin is prone to temperature inversions

True

Sources of Air pollution and matches

Natural-wildfires

Stationary—factories

Mobile—vehicles

PM

Suspended particulate matter—soot and smoke

VOC

Volatile Organic Compounds—From vehicles, paints and solvents, big ozone producer

CO

Carbon monoxide—incomplete combustion of carbon fuels

NOx

Nitrogen Oxides

SOx

Sulfur Dioxide—from combusting sulfur bearing fuels like coal

Pb (lead)

Lead—previously from unleaded gas, now mainly smelters and battery manufacturers

Toxins

Air toxins—low quantities in air dangerous—mainly carcinogenic

Radon

Radioactive gas—by-product of natural breakdown of radium and uranium in soil

Secondary Pollutants

O3 and PANs are formed from NOx and VOCs with sunlight. In pre-industrial times O3 concentrations were in the 10ppb to 15 ppl range, now polluted are can be 150 ppm or more

Health and other problems of secondary pollutants

Respiratory issues, bad for plants, eye irritation, skin cancer, bad for plants

When did the first Clean Air Act become law

1970

Since the clean air act, the combined amount of pm, voc, co, not, sox in the air has gone down by over 50%

true

Since 1980, the amount of lead in the air has gone down 99%.

In order to achieve this they took lead of out of gas

What distant, ice covered area was affected by the lead we put in the air, but has also been experiencing a reduction in lead

Arctic

The combination of Acid precipitation (acid rain and snow) and the fallout of dry acidic particles are known as

Acid Deposition

As a result of sustained acidification there can be a shift to plant species that are more acid-tolerant so you may not be stuck with dead forests

True

3 natural sources of compounds that lead to acid deposition

1. volcanoes

2. sea spray

3. microbial process

Natural acid rain causing compounds are only about ½ of those from anthropogenic sources

True

Most of the SO2 released into the air comes from what

Coal fired power plants

Most of the NOx released in the air comes from

Vehicles and fixed locations (factories…)

2 main areas impacted by air pollution

1. The environment

2. Human health

Synergism

The working together of multiple pollutants to create a more damaging impact

Since there have been no conclusive studies, most public health officials just assume that air pollution is bad for you

False