Acid Rain notes
ACID RAIN
- precipitation that has a pH of less than that of natural rainwater (which is about 5.6 due to dissolved carbon dioxide.)
- It is formed when sulfur dioxides and nitrogen oxides, as gases or fine particles in the atmosphere, combine with water vapor and precipitate as sulphuric acid or nitric acid in rain, snow, or fog.
- emissions from volcanoes and from biological processes that occur on land, in wetlands, and in the oceans contribute acid-producing gases to the atmosphere
- effects of acidic deposits have been detected in glacial ice thousands of years old in remote parts of the globe
- The principal cause of acid rain is from human sources
- industrial factories, power generating plants and vehicles
- Sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen are released during the fuel burning process (combustion)
- when water vapor condenses, or as the rain falls, they dissolve in the water to form sulfuric acid, and nitric acid
- While the air in cleaned of the pollutants in this way, it also causes precipitation to become acidic, forming acid rain
- Canada
- acid rain is a problem in Canada
- water and soil systems lack natural alkalinity such as lime base
- cannot neutralize acid
- Canada consists of susceptible hard rock such as granite
- do not have the capacity to effectively neutralize acid rain
- Industrial acid rain is a substantial problem in China, Eastern Europe and Russia and areas down-wind from them.
- Acid rain from power plants in the Midwest United States has also harmed the forests of upstate New York and New England.
- This shows that the effects of acid rain can spread over a large area, far from the source of the pollution
- Harmful to aquatic life
- increased acidity in water bodies
- stops eggs of certain organisms to stop hatching
- changes population ratios
- affects the ecosystem
- Harmful to vegetation
- increased acidity in soil
- leeches nutrients from soil, slowing plant growth
- Leeches toxins from soil, poisoning plants
- Creates brown spots in leaves of trees, impeding photosynthesis
- Allows organisms to infect through broken leaves
- Accelerates weathering in metal and stone structures
- E.g. Parthenon in Athens, Greece; Taj Mahal in Agra, India
- Affects human health
- respiratory problems, asthma, dry coughs, headaches, and throat irritations
- leeching of toxins from the soil by acid rain can be absorbed by plants and animals. When consumed, these toxins affect humans severely
- Brain damage, kidney problems, and Alzheimer's disease has been linked to people eating "toxic" animals/plants
- Reduce amount of sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen releases into teh atmosphere
- use less energy (hence less fuel burnt)
- use cleaner fuels
- coal that contains less sulfur
- "washing" the coal to reduce sulfur content
- Natural gas
- removes oxides of sulfur and oxides of nitrogen before releasing
- flue gas desulfururization
- removes sulfur dioxide from flue gas (waste gases)
- Consists of a wet scrubber and a reaction tower equipped with a fan that extracts hot smoky stack gases from a power plant into the tower
- Lime or limestone (calcium carbonate) in slurry form is injected into the tower to mix with the stack gases and reacts with the sulfur dioxide present
- Produces pH-neutral calcium sulfur that is physically removed from the scrubber
- Sulfur can be used for industrial purposes
- catalytic converters
- flue gas desulfururization
- use other sources of electricity (i.e. nuclear power, hydro-electricity, wind energy, geothermal energy, and solar energy)
- issue of cost
- Liming
- powdered limestone/lime water added to water and soil to neutralize acid
- Used extensively in Norway and Sweden
- Expensive, short term remedy
Car Emission
HYPOTHESIS
I think the efficient car is going to have less CO2 emissions than the Camaro and the Dodge Caravan. The Eco friendly car is probably going to be more expensive. Also the Eco friendly car will probably have a less energy impact score.
MY CAR NOW
I have a 2008 Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan 2WD The EPA combined MPG is 18 the fuel economics is $2,250, and the annual fuel cost is $1,700 and the green house gases emissions are 494 grams per mile. The energy impact score is 18.3 barrels. The EPA smog score is BIN 5.
MY DREAM CAR
My dream car is a 2015 Chevrolet Camaro. The fuel type is regular gasoline. The greenhouse gas emissions is 434 grams per mile. The combined MPG is 20 and the fuel economics is $1,500. The annual fuel is $1,550. The energy Impact score is 16.5 barrels and the EPA smog is 6.
GREEN HOUSE CAR
My efficient car is a 2014 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited. The fuel type is regular gasoline. The greenhouse gas emissions in 239 grams per mile. The combined MPG is 37 and the fuel economics is $2,000. The annual fuel cost in $850. The energy impact score is 8.9 barrels and the EPA smog is 9 and US EPA Certified Smart Way.
CONCLUSION
My hypothesis was correct, the green car was the most environmental efficient. The car that I have now produces the most greenhouse emissions. The Camaro was better than my car that I have now. I would probably get a green car even though it would probably be expensive it wont have as much CO2 emissions as the car i have know and even the Camaro.
I think the efficient car is going to have less CO2 emissions than the Camaro and the Dodge Caravan. The Eco friendly car is probably going to be more expensive. Also the Eco friendly car will probably have a less energy impact score.
MY CAR NOW
I have a 2008 Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan 2WD The EPA combined MPG is 18 the fuel economics is $2,250, and the annual fuel cost is $1,700 and the green house gases emissions are 494 grams per mile. The energy impact score is 18.3 barrels. The EPA smog score is BIN 5.
MY DREAM CAR
My dream car is a 2015 Chevrolet Camaro. The fuel type is regular gasoline. The greenhouse gas emissions is 434 grams per mile. The combined MPG is 20 and the fuel economics is $1,500. The annual fuel is $1,550. The energy Impact score is 16.5 barrels and the EPA smog is 6.
GREEN HOUSE CAR
My efficient car is a 2014 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Limited. The fuel type is regular gasoline. The greenhouse gas emissions in 239 grams per mile. The combined MPG is 37 and the fuel economics is $2,000. The annual fuel cost in $850. The energy impact score is 8.9 barrels and the EPA smog is 9 and US EPA Certified Smart Way.
CONCLUSION
My hypothesis was correct, the green car was the most environmental efficient. The car that I have now produces the most greenhouse emissions. The Camaro was better than my car that I have now. I would probably get a green car even though it would probably be expensive it wont have as much CO2 emissions as the car i have know and even the Camaro.
OZONE depletion notes
THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT
- is a natural process necessary for sustaining life on earth
- is produced by the suns energy and earths atmosphere
- energy in the form of solar radiation is emitted toward earth
- 26% is reflected, 19% absorbed, 55% reaches earths surface. 4% of that is reflected to space and the remaining 51% is absorbed by earths surface and remitted as long wave infrared radiation
- Greenhouse gases traps this radiation, warm the atmosphere and emits the heat back to earth where a cycle begins
- CO2 has had a 33% increase in concentration in the last 200 years
- Comes from burning fossil fuels for industry, transportation, heat, cooking, and electricity generation
- Also released from deforestation
- Greenhouse potential of 1
- Methane has risen 151% since 1750
- releases by large herds of cattle, tapping into fossil fuels deposits, dumping organic matter into landfiills, and crops such as rice
- Humans are cause of half of methane released
- Greenhouse potential of 23
- Nitrous oxide has increased 17% since 1750
- By-product of feedlots, chemical manufacturing plants, auto emissions, soil fertilization, fossil-fuel combustion, and deforestation.
- Human s contribute to about 33% of all nitrous oxide released into the atmosphere
- Production has doubled due to Haber process for Nitrogen fixation.
- Greenhouse potential of 296
- Ozone serves a dual purpose. In lower stratosphere it keeps earth cooler by absorbing radiation before it reaches earth. In troposphere it is building up due to humans and then trapping heat. It also causes health problems.
- it has decreased in stratosphere because of CFCs but increased 36% in troposphere since 1750
- Halo-carbon gases are man made. They include chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which deplete the ozone layer. They also are the most efficient greenhouse gas, with a greenhouse potential of 12,000.
- Emissions have almost stopped now due to the Montreal Protocol
- Was called in 1987 because of health concerns and fears of global warming
- Signed by 180 nations, demanded CFC production dropped 50%. Several amendments now have dropped it to 95%
- Scientists all agree earth’s climate is warming due to increased greenhouse gas concentrations. They do not know how it will continue, however.
- Some believe it will all work itself out
- World Health Organization says immediate and long term health benefits will come from reducing gas emissions.
- We can build more efficient machines. Automobiles are highly inefficient and transportation is second highest contributor to gas emissions in U.S.
- Planting trees. An average tree intakes 13 pounds of carbon and carbon dioxide a year and maintains it for the life of the tree.
- Researchers discovered that with every 1 degree Celsius that ocean temps. Rose, the ration of cirrus to cumulus clouds dropped 22%.
- Cirrus clouds do not block incoming radiation well but trap outgoing, warming earth. Therefore, a vent may be achieved if temps rise and equilibrium will be maintained.
- So the greenhouse effect is necessary for maintaining life on earth
- Our climate is changing and we don not know how it will continue
- Greenhouse gas concentration re rising and need to be slowed as much as possible
- Estimates point to a 1-3 degrees Celsius rise in earths average temperature over the next century