C1b There’s only one Earth Research Project Homework 11 April.

2011

Questions

1. When was the earth formed?

2. What gases were released from volcanoes?

3. How oceans were formed?

4. How oxygen levels begin to rise?

5. The present day composition the earth’s atmosphere?

6. How we can separate the useful gases in the air?

7. The temperature rise of the earth over the last 200 years?

8. How the greenhouse effect works?

9. How global warming is monitored?

10. How can we reduce carbon dioxide emissions?

11. What crude oil is a mixture of?

12. Name some useful products from crude oil?

13. What is meant by hydrocarbon?

14. List the useful products of crude oil in order of their chain length (The

fractional distillation tower- top to bottom of the tower)?

15. Name two alternatives to petrol?

16. Why we should all recycle our waste?

17. Why plastic waste is difficult to dispose of?

18. Explain why recycling aluminium is better for the environment?

19. What happens is a desalination plant?

20. The equation for complete combustion of methane?

21. When incomplete combustion occur?

22. Why carbon monoxide is toxic to us?

23. The equations for incomplete combustion of methane?

24. Two products of electrolysis of sew water and some uses of them?
C1b There’s only one Earth Research Project Homework 11 April. 2011

When was the earth formed?

The Earth was formed approximately 4.6 billion years age.

What gases were released from volcanoes?

Volcanic activity in the early Earth released the gases carbon dioxide and water vapour

into the atmosphere in large quantities. Small amounts of nitrogen, hydrogen and carbon

monoxide were also released.

How oceans were formed?

The water vapour condensed to form the oceans of the Earth as the temperature of the

Earth steadily dropped.

How oxygen levels begin to rise?

After plants appeared the atmosphere changed. The plants removed most of the carbon

dioxide and replaced it with oxygen by a process called photosynthesis and the present

composition by volume of the atmosphere is 21% oxygen.

What is the present day composition of the earth’s atmosphere?

The present day composition by volume of the Earth’s atmosphere is 78% nitrogen, 21%
The and
oxygen present day
1% other composit
gases, of whichion t heisEart
0.035% h’s
carbon at mosphere
dioxide .

Ot her Gases
Oxygen
1%
2 1%

Nit rogen
Oxygen
Ot her Gases

Nit rogen
78 %
How we can separate the useful gases in the air?

Air can be separated into its individual gases using fractional distillation but the air must

be liquefied first then gradually allowed to warm. Nitrogen is given off at the top of the

fractionating column.

Did the temperature rise of the earth over the last 200 years?

Over the past 200 years, since the start of industrialisation, average global

temperatures have risen by 1.5°C, at the same time as carbon dioxide levels risen.

How the greenhouse effect works?

The greenhouse effect causes heat to be reflected back to the Earth’s surface and not

released into the space, making the temperature of the Earth rise.

How global warming is monitored?

Global warming is monitored by measuring sea levels and the size of polar ice sheets, in

addition to the salinity (saltiness) of the ocean.

How can we reduce carbon dioxide emissions?

We can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by reducing the use of energy produced from

fossil fuels or investing in alternative energy resources.

What crude oil is a mixture of?

Crude oil is a mixture of hydrocarbon molecules. These must be separated into similar

mixture to produce useful products such as petrol, kerosene and naptha. Hydrocarbon

only contains hydrogen and carbon.

Name some useful products from crude oil?

Some useful products such as petrol, kerosene and naptha comes from crude oil.
What is meant by hydrocarbon?

Hydrocarbon means a compound containing only carbon and hydrogen

List the useful products of crude oil in order of their chain length (The fractional

distillation tower - top to bottom of the tower)

Name two alternatives to petrol?

There are alternatives to petrol, such as bio-fuel, which are made from living things.

Hydrogen is considered to be an alternative fuel to petrol for cars but new technology

will be needed to enable this to happen.

Why we should all recycle our waste?

The recycling of waste can save energy. It takes 20% less energy to recycle glass than

it downs o make it originally. Recycling reduces the amount of rubbish which has to be

put in landfill sites or incinerated (burnt).

Why plastic waste is difficult to dispose of?

Plastic waste is particularly difficult to dispose of as it releases toxic gases if burnt r

takes thousands of years to decompose. Only biodegradable plastics break down naturally

in the environment but new plastics are now being made which are recyclable

Explain why recycling aluminium is better for the environment?

Metals such as aluminium are extracted from their ore using electrolysis. This is an

expensive process; therefore recycling aluminium is cheaper and uses less energy

What happens is a desalination plant?

Desalination plants, used in hot countries, make sea water usable by removing the salt

from it. This can be done using fossil fuel energy or solar power to heat up and

evaporate the water.

What is the equation for complete combustion of methane?

CH4 + 2O2  CO2 + 2H2O

Hydrocarbon + Oxygen  Carbon dioxide + water (+ energy)

When they burn, the carbon atoms react with oxygen to form carbon dioxide. The
hydrogen atoms react with oxygen to make water.
When incomplete combustion occur?

Incomplete combustion occurs when there is insufficient oxygen available. During

incomplete combustion, carbon and /or carbon monoxide may be formed.

Why carbon monoxide is toxic to us?

Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas which forms bonds with red blood cells when it enters

your blood stream. This stops oxygen being carried around the body.

What is the equation for incomplete combustion of methane?

2CH4 + 3O2  2CO + 4H2O

And

CH4 + O2  C + 2H2O
Two products of electrolysis of sew water and some uses of them?

Chlorine is produced by electrolysis of sea water and is used for making bleaches. Sodium

hydroxide can also be obtained from sea water and is used in the productions of soaps

and detergents.

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