EESC Exam 2 Review Questions
1. Two mechanisms causing sea level rise
- Thermal Expansion: As global temperatures rise, ocean water absorbs heat and expands. This is responsible for about half of observed sea level rise.
- Melting Ice: Land-based ice, such as glaciers and ice sheets (Greenland and Antarctica), melts into the ocean, adding volume and raising sea levels.
2. Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC)
- Axes: The x-axis represents economic development (e.g., GDP per capita), and the y-axis represents environmental degradation.
- Interpretation: The EKC suggests that environmental degradation initially increases with industrialization but later decreases as a country becomes wealthier and prioritizes sustainability.
3. Sources of Major Greenhouse Gases
- Carbon dioxide (CO₂): Fossil fuel combustion, deforestation, cement production.
- Methane (CH₄): Agriculture (livestock digestion), landfills, natural gas leaks.
- Nitrous oxide (N₂O): Fertilizers, biomass burning, some industrial processes.
- Fluorinated gases: Industrial applications, refrigeration, air conditioning.
4. Water vapor and climate change
- Short residence time: Water vapor cycles quickly through precipitation, unlike CO₂, which remains in the atmosphere for centuries.
- Feedback, not forcing: While water vapor amplifies warming, its concentration is dependent on temperature rather than being a primary driver of climate change.
5. Tropospheric vs. Stratospheric Ozone
- Tropospheric (bad ozone): Forms from pollution (e.g., vehicle emissions, industry), contributes to smog, harms human health.
- Stratospheric (good ozone): Absorbs harmful UV radiation, protecting life on Earth.
6. Ozone depletion agreement
- Montreal Protocol: Signed in the 1980s, it phased out chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) responsible for ozone layer damage.
7. Radon source and pollution problem
- Source: Natural radioactive decay of uranium in soil and rock.
- Problem: Indoor air pollution, particularly in basements and poorly ventilated spaces, can lead to lung cancer.
8. Most severe ozone depletion
- The Antarctic has experienced the worst depletion due to cold temperatures and unique atmospheric conditions promoting CFC breakdown.
9. Catalyst in ozone depletion
- Chlorine (Cl), mainly from CFCs, catalyzes ozone destruction by breaking down O₃ molecules in the stratosphere.
10. Thermal inversion and air pollution
- Profile: Normally, temperature decreases with altitude. In a thermal inversion, a layer of warm air traps cooler air near the ground.
- Effect: Pollutants accumulate at the surface instead of dispersing upward, leading to worsened air quality.
11. Why NSPS doesn’t apply to ozone
- National Source Performance Standards (NSPS) apply to direct emissions, while ozone is a secondary pollutant, forming in the atmosphere from precursor emissions like NOₓ and VOCs.
12. Why EPA standards don’t guarantee safe air
- Cumulative effects: Even if individual facilities comply, emissions from multiple sources can still exceed safe levels.
- Environmental justice: Certain areas, like the Bronx, may face disproportionate pollution due to zoning and historical inequalities.
13. Higher smokestacks reduce ground-level pollution
- Mechanism: Taller smokestacks disperse pollutants higher in the atmosphere, allowing dilution before reaching the ground.
- Trade-off: This can shift pollution to downwind areas instead of eliminating it.
14. Fine particulates vs. larger ones
- Size matters: PM₂.₅ (fine particles) can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, causing cardiovascular and respiratory issues, unlike larger particles (PM₁₀), which are mostly filtered by the nose and throat.
15. Pollutant with 3-day residence time (France to NY)
- Short residence time: It likely settles or reacts before traveling that far.
- Wind patterns: Atmospheric circulation (e.g., prevailing westerlies) wouldn’t transport it efficiently across the Atlantic.
16. Greenhouse gases and radiation
- Short-wave (visible light): Passes through the atmosphere and is absorbed by Earth’s surface.
- Long-wave (infrared radiation): Emitted from Earth’s surface, but greenhouse gases absorb and re-radiate it, trapping heat and causing the greenhouse effect.
17. Why measure in CO₂-equivalents?
- Different gases have different global warming potentials (GWPs). For example, methane is ~25x more potent than CO₂ over 100 years.
- CO₂-equivalents allow for a standardized comparison of emissions' impact.
18. Radiative forcing
- Definition: The change in energy balance (W/m²) due to greenhouse gases or other factors.
- Positive forcing: Warming (e.g., CO₂, methane).
- Negative forcing: Cooling (e.g., aerosols, increased cloud cover).
19. Seasonal cycle in atmospheric CO₂
- Spring/summer: Plants absorb CO₂ (photosynthesis), leading to lower atmospheric levels.
- Fall/winter: Plants decay and release CO₂, increasing levels.
20. Permafrost melt feedback loop
- Melting permafrost releases methane and CO₂, which contribute to further warming, causing more permafrost to melt.
21. Wildfires and feedback loops
- Warming → More fires → CO₂ release → More warming, making wildfires more frequent and severe.
22. Mitigation vs. adaptation
- Mitigation: Reducing emissions (e.g., switching to renewable energy).
- Adaptation: Adjusting to impacts (e.g., building sea walls).
- Both: Urban tree planting (reduces heat island effect and absorbs CO₂).
23. Direct impact of increasing CO₂
- Ocean acidification: CO₂ dissolves in seawater, forming carbonic acid, harming marine life.
24. Natural CO₂ sinks
- Oceans: Absorb CO₂ but cause acidification.
- Forests: Store CO₂ through photosynthesis.
25. Why land ice affects sea level more than sea ice
- Land ice (glaciers, ice sheets): Adds new water to the ocean when it melts.
- Sea ice: Already floating, so its melting doesn’t significantly change sea levels (like ice in a full glass of water).