Air Quality - 19

78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen, 1% Other gases of which 0.04% Carbon dioxide & 0.97% noble gases mainly Argon

By using a graduated gas syringe with $100cm^3$ of air and plugging it into the glass tube with copper turnings in it & heating it. Final volume of air should be $79cm^3$

Carbon monoxide, Nitrogen Oxides (NO & $NO_2$), sulfur dioxide, ozone & unbrined hydrocarbons

Incomplete combustion of carbon containing fuels (e.g. petrol)

Formed in vehicle combustion engines at high temperatures (nitrogen reacts with oxygen in the air) & lightning activity. $N_2 \space (g) + O_2 \space (g) \rightarrow 2NO \space (g)$

Combustion of fossil fuels with sulfur impurities & volcanic eruptions. $S \space (s) + O_2 \space (g) \rightarrow SO_2 \space (g)$

Binds irreversibly with haemoglobin (Hb) in red blood cells, reducing the ability of Hb to transport oxygen to the rest of the body, leading to fainting or even death

Both react with oxygen in air to form acidic compounds which dissolve in rain water to form acid rain. Sulfur dioxide also caused breathing difficulties in humans and animals

Acidifies soil so crops grow poorly as essential nutrients e.g. mg and Ca are leached from soil. Soil becomes too acidic —> plants die. Water bodies get acidified —> aquatic life get killed. Buildings and structures made from limestone, marble and metals corrode

A set of processes that regulates the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and keeps it constant at about 0.03% by volume.

Coal and hydrocarbon fuels undergo complete combustion to release carbon dioxide

All living things respire to release energy for the organisms’ needs.

Bacteria break down dead plants and animals into simpler compounds. Aerobic decomposition releases carbon dioxide while anaerobic decomposition results in fossil fuels formation which trap carbon deep underground and releases carbon dioxide when these fuels are burnt

During photosynthesis, chlorophyll in green plants trap sunlight and convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.

Oceans are carbon sinks which absorb and dissolve carbon dioxide. Marine plants use the carbon dioxide to photosynthesize. Marine organisms convert carbon dioxide into calcium carbonate in shells and skeletons. Shells and skeletons of dead organisms settle to the seabed to form limestone

Carbon dioxide & methane

Anaerobic bacterial decay of organic matter (plants and animals), waste gases from cattle

More extreme weather events such as heat waves, droughts, hurricanes, floods leading to loss of lives, property & fertility of land. Melting of polar ice caps and glacial retreat causing ocean levels to rise and flood low-lying countries, disruption of ocean currents, communities needing glacial water for drinking & irrigation affected by glaciar depletion