Review: Carbon Cycle & the Greenhouse Effect

The ozone layer is an important part of the greenhouse effect, as it significantly warms the troposphere when absorbing ultraviolet radiation.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

The ozone layer traps ultraviolet radiation in the STRATOSPHERE, not the troposphere. Remember, stratospheric ozone depletion allows more UV radiation into the troposphere, causing declines in photosynthesis, skin cancer, and eye damage, NOT significant warming!

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS4-4

Greenhouse gases are a very small percentage of earth's atmosphere (less than 1%).

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Remember--N2 (nitrogen gas) & O2 (oxygen gas) together make up ~99% of earth's atmosphere, so the greenhouse gases are a portion of the remaining 1%.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-6

NGSS.HS-ESS3-5

The earth primarily receives infrared radiation from the sun.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

The earth receives primarily visible light radiation from the sun, with smaller amounts of other electromagnetic radiation such as infrared and ultraviolet.

Greenhouse gases absorb & reradiate visible light energy within earth's troposphere.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Greenhouse gases are extremely effective at absorbing & re-radiating INFRARED energy (heat).

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-6

NGSS.HS-ESS2-4

The greenhouse effect only began warming earth's temperatures after humans started emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Greenhouse gases are a natural part of earth's atmosphere, as well as the atmosphere on other planets. Human activities have had a significant impact on the earth's atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, however, since the Industrial Revolution.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

NGSS.MS-ESS3-5

Forest fires, combustion of fossil fuels & cement manufacturing are all sources of which greenhouse gas?

• carbon dioxide

• methane

• nitrous oxide

• chlorofluorocarbons

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

NGSS.MS-ESS3-5

Anaerobic bacterial activity in livestock, landfills and rice paddies generate which greenhouse gas?

• carbon dioxide

• methane

• nitrous oxide

• chlorofluorocarbons

Which anthropogenic greenhouse gas was used in refrigeration, aerosol cans, and air conditioners?

• carbon dioxide

• methane

• nitrous oxide

• chlorofluorocarbons

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-3

Tropospheric ozone is a greenhouse gas produced by chemical reactions of anthropogenic pollution and atmospheric oxygen.

• True

• False

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-5

Bacterial activity in the soil, particularly in regions receiving large amounts of fertilizer, generates which greenhouse gas?

• carbon dioxide

• methane

• nitrous oxide

• chlorofluorocarbons