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a- Define the following humidity
The moisture content of air
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b- Absolute humidity
The mass of water vapor contained in a certain volume of air
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c- Relative humidity
A quantity expressing humidity as a percentage of the maximum absolute humidity for that particular temperature
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d- Greenhouse effect
The process by which certain gasses (principally water, carbon dioxide, and methane) trap heat that would otherwise escape the earth and radiate into space
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e- Parts per million
The number of molecules (or atoms) of a substance in a mixture for every one million molecules (or atoms) in that mixture
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3- The temperature is the same at 1:00 in the afternoon on two consecutive days. For a person who is outside working, however, the second day feels more cooler than the first day. On which day was the humidity higher?
The humidity is higher on the first day. Since the person felt cooler on the second day (despite the same temp.) his sweat must have evaporated more quickly than on the first day. Thus, the first day was more humid.
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4- A child decides to keep his goldfish outside in a small bowl. He has to add water every day to keep the bowl full. On two consecutive days, the temperatures are very similar, but on the first day, the relative humidity is 90% while on the second day, it is 60%. On which day will the child add more water to the goldfish bowl?
The child will add more water on the second day. Since the humidity was lower on the second, the water in the bowl will evaporate more quickly
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5- If you put a glass of water outside when the relative humidity is 100%, how quickly will the water evaporate?
The water will not evaporate. Since the relative humidity is 100%, the air cannot hold anymore water vapor. As a result no water will evaporate from the glass.
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6- Why does sweating cool people down?
Sweat cools you off because when it evaporates, it takes energy from your skin. When energy leaves your skin, it gets cooler
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7- What is the percentage of nitrogen in dry air? What about oxygen?
Dry air is 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen.
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8- What would be the consequence of removing all of the carbon dioxide in earth's air supply?
- If the air had no carbon dioxide in it, the earth would be colder.
- Since carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, the greenhouse effect would be
- weaker, leaving a cool earth. You could also answer this question by
- saying that plants would die of starvation.
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9- What would be the consequence of removing all of the ozone in earth's air supply?
If there were no ozone in the air, ultraviolet light would kill all living things.
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What would be the consequence of a sudden increase in the concentration of oxygen in the earth's air supply?
If more oxygen were in the air, lifespans would decrease and forest fires would increase in frequency and ferocity.
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10- Suppose astronomers found another solar system on which there was a sun just like our sun as is earth from our sun. Since the vast majority of energy that planets get comes from their suns, is it reasonable to assume that the new planet would have roughly the same average temperature as that of earth? Why or why not?
There is no reason to expect that the new planet will have the same temperature as earth. If it does not have essentially the same air, with all the same levels of all the greenhouse gasses, them is will not have the same temperature
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11- What makes up the majority of the air that we exhale?
Nitrogen makes up the majority of the air we exhale. see fig 2.3
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12- Do we exhale more carbon dioxide or more oxygen?
We exhale more oxygen. See fig. 2.3
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13- Is global warming happening today?
No. Figure 2.4 shows that the average global temperature has been reasonable constant for the past 70 years
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14- The current concentration of ground-level ozone in the air is about 0.110 ppm. What is that in percent?
0.000011%
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15- Suppose you had a sample of air in which the nitrogen oxides be if you expressed it in ppm?
230 ppm
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16- Is the air cleaner today, or was it cleaner 20 years ago?
The air is much cleaner today than 20 years ago
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17- What is the cost/benefit analysis?
A cost/benefit analysis attempts to determine whether or not to take an action by determining the benefits of that action as well as the costs. If the benefit outweighs the cost, then the action should be taken. If not, the action should not be taken
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18- What does a catalytic converter do in a car?
A catalytic converter converts carbon monoxide in the car's exhaust to carbon dioxide. The fact that most cars have these today is responsible for cutting in half the carbon monoxide concentration in the air
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19- What does a scrubber do in a smokestack?
A scrubber traps sulfur oxides in a smokestack and keeps them from being emitted into the air. These have been largely responsible for the 70% decrease in sulfur oxides concentration in the air.
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20- In the U.S., there are many regulations aimed at decreasing the amount of ground-level ozone in the air, because ground level ozone is considered a pollutant. At the same time, there are many regulations aimed at increasing the amount of ozone in the ozone layer. Despite the fact that ozone in the ozone layer is the same as ground-level ozone, ozone in the ozone layer is not considered a pollutant. Instead, it is considered an essential substance. Why?
Ground-level ozone is a pollutant because it is a poison, and it is where we can breathe it. Ozone in the ozone layer is not a pollutant because no one breathes that high up in the air, so its poisonous properties are unimportant. I is necessary in the ozone layer in order to block the sun's ultraviolet rays
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