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APES Air questions

AIR!

Topics:
Chapter 16 in the text
Chapter 2 in Barron's
Global Climat Crisis-what it is, what will it mean to you, what can you do
Heat-Frontline Video
An Inconvenient Truth-the science behind the movie
Global Footprint: what it means, some sample calculations

Please read Chapter 16 in the text:
http://physics.hpa.edu/physics/apenvsci/enger/ch16/enger%20ch%2016.pdf

Please read chapter 2 in Barron's:
http://physics.hpa.edu/physics/apenvsci/apes_barrons/apes_barrons_3rd_edition_2009/barrons%20ch02%20atmosphere.pdf

If you have not already, please watch as much of this video as you can before our discussion in class:
http://physics.hpa.edu/physics/apenvsci/videos/heat/
Choose the version that you are able to watch depending on your internet connection-you might want to bring in a flash drive with 1.2 gb of space as well

Please answer the following before class Thursday:
APES Air questions

1. Describe the major levels of the atmosphere, with a description of the temperature in each level and why the temperature profile changes with altitude.

2. Describe the four "criteria pollutants" and where you might find them, why each is hazardous, and why these stand out over the other thousands of air pollutants.

3. Describe the four major greenhouse gases, including how they are formed, how long they last, and if there is any connection between these and human activity.

4. As the climate crisis progresses, eventually the permafrost will begin to melt. Why is this an example of positive feedback?

5. PM refers to particulate matter. Why is this specification based on particle size, and which sizes are the most hazardous?

6. Describe the flow of air on the planet, including the convection zones. Explain how this creates high and low pressure areas on the surface.

7. What is the albedo of the earth, and how does this interact with climate change?

8. The Coriolis effect is often poorly understood. In your own words, explain the rotation of a hurricane approaching Hawaii from the southeast.

9. Is the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) an air event, a sea event, a global event, or all three? Explain.

10. Many people believe that the ozone layer is involved in global warming. How can you distinguish between these two? What is the main impact of a thinner ozone layer, and what might cause this?

Notes on Ozone:

ozone depletion-
stratospheric ozone depletion
4% since 1970
ozone hole over antarctica
catalytic destruction of ozone by chlorine and bromine
halogen compounds CFCs (freons) and bromofluorocarbons (halons)
ODS ozone depleting substances
ozone blocks UVB 270-315 nm
Montreal protocol 1987 banned CFCs
O + O3 --> 2O2 (transparent)
Cl + O3 -->ClO + O2
ClO + O3 -->Cl + 2O2
effects:
1. ++ carcinomas
2. melanomas
3. cataracts
4. ++ tropospheric ozone (toxic)
5. kills cyanobacteria (rice nitrogen fixers)

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aloha
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