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24 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What part of the atmosphere is described by the following characteristics:
Range in depth from 18 km over equator to 8km over poles Air temperature drops rapidly with increasing altitude Contains 75% of total air mass |
Troposphere
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What is the tropopause?
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It is the transition where the troposphere mixes with upper zones
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What part of the atmosphere is described by the following:
Temperature increases with altitude UV light gets absorbed by ozone Relatively calm Concentration of gases is more dilute |
Stratosphere!
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What in particular is notable about the stratosphere in terms of ratio of water vapor to ozone?
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In the stratosphere, water vapor is 1000x less than in troposphere.
Ozone is 1000x more than in troposphere. |
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What are the upper zones of the atmosphere called?
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Mesosphere (Middle Layer)
Thermosphere (Ionized gases, high temps) Ionosphere (lower thermosphere) |
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What ratios of solar radiation are reflected, absorbed and reach the earth's surface?
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25% reflected
25% absorbed 50% reaches the earth's surface |
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What atmospheric gas is responsible for absorbing ultraviolet light?
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Ozone (O3)
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What atmospheric gases are responsible for absorbing infrared radiation
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CO2 and H2O
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What are Milankovitch Cycles?
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Shifts in the earth's orbit and tilt
Changes distribution and intensity of sunlight "Wobble" |
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What is El Nino/Southern Oscillation?
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Weather pattern that cycles every 3 to 5 years.
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What are substances emitted by humans that contribute to global climate change?
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CO2, CH4, CFCs, N2O and, to a lesser extent, sulfur hexafluoride.
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What human activities contribute to global climate change?
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Burning fossil fuels
Cattle ranching (methane) Refrigerants (CFCs, declining) Burning organic material (N2O) |
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What evidence can be referenced that points to global climate change?
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Increase in precipitation
Thinning arctic sea ice Retreating alpine glaciers Bleaching of coral reefs |
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What is radiative forcing?
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Index of how a certain factor would influence a potential climate change mechanism.
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What is gasohol?
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Combination of gasoline and ethanol
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What purpose does gasohol serve?
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Raises octane ratings on gasoline and reduces carbon monoxide emissions.
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What major achievement has Brazil made in terms of energy use?
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Converted fuel to a gasohol containing sugarcane based ethanol and has achieved energy independence.
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What argument does Dave Pimintel make about corn-based ethanol?
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Not efficient
Not environmentally friendly Not renewable |
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How much energy does it take to produce a gallon of ethanol versus how much energy is yielded?
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29% more energy used
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What did the EPA say in 2006 when assessing E85 (a type of gasohol containing 85% ethanol) in vehicle performance?
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E85 reduces fuel economy by 20 to 30 percent because ethanol contains less energy than gasoline. Vehicles can be optimized to deal with this, but there are none currently on the market.
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What is the price paradox concerning E85?
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Retail price per gallon is less than gasoline, but decreased fuel economy means that fuel is consumed more rapidly.
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How much of the US corn supply does ethanol production currently use?
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20 percent
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What is the main chemical and logistic challenge with ethanol?
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Ethanol is very corrosive and cannot be transported by pipeline, so more expensive and inefficient means of transportation are necessary.
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What is another issue regarding biofuels that will not solve the climate change issue?
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Increased production of NOx which would create more smog.
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