The composition & evolution of the atmosphere

The proportions of most gases in the Earth’s atmosphere have not changed much for the past 200 million years.

About one-fifth of the atmosphere is oxygen.

Describe the test for oxygen gas.

Give the result of the test.

Table 5 shows the percentages of some gases in the Earth’s early atmosphere and in the Earth’s atmosphere today.

Explain how the percentages of gases have changed from Earth’s early atmosphere to Earth’s atmosphere today.

You should refer to all three gases in Table 5.

Methane is a greenhouse gas.

Give two ways to reduce methane emissions into the atmosphere.

The percentage of sulfur dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere increased between 1850 and 1980.

Describe how sulfur dioxide emissions are produced.

Give one harmful effect of sulfur dioxide emissions.

Suggest one reason why the percentage of sulfur dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere has decreased since 1980.

The proportions of most gases in the Earth’s atmosphere have not changed much for the past 200 million years.

About one-fifth of the atmosphere is oxygen.

Describe the test for oxygen gas.

Give the result of the test.

Table 1 shows the percentages of some gases in the Earth’s early atmosphere and in the Earth’s atmosphere today.

Explain how the percentages of gases have changed from Earth’s early atmosphere to Earth’s atmosphere today.

You should refer to all three gases in Table 1.

Methane is a greenhouse gas.

Give two ways to reduce methane emissions into the atmosphere.

The percentage of sulfur dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere increased between 1850 and 1980.

Describe how sulfur dioxide emissions are produced.

Give one harmful effect of sulfur dioxide emissions.

Suggest one reason why the percentage of sulfur dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere has decreased since 1980.

The Earth’s atmosphere has changed during the last 4.6 billion years.

What is the approximate percentage of nitrogen and of oxygen in the Earth’s atmosphere today?

Draw one line from each gas to the percentage of that gas.

The approximate percentage of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s early atmosphere was 95%.

Which are two reasons why the percentage of carbon dioxide has decreased since the Earth’s early atmosphere?

Tick () two boxes.

Figure 1 shows the change in the percentage of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere from 1800 to 2020.

Describe the trend in the percentage of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere from 1800 to 2020.

Use data from Figure 1.

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas.

Which of the following is also a greenhouse gas?

Tick () one box.

Which of the following is an environmental problem caused by greenhouse gases?

Tick () one box.

Calculate the relative formula mass (M_r) of carbon dioxide (CO₂).

Relative atomic masses (A_r): C = 12 O = 16

The Earth’s atmosphere is always changing.

Gases in the Earth’s early atmosphere caused changes on the Earth. Draw one line from each change to the gas that caused the change.

Gas that caused the Change change

Table 1 shows the percentage of some gases in the atmospheres of Earth and Mars today.

Which gas has the highest percentage in the Earth’s atmosphere?

Calculate how many times more carbon dioxide there is in the atmosphere of Mars than in the atmosphere of Earth. Use Table 1. Give your answer in standard form.

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas.

Figure 1 shows the concentration of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere from 1960 to 2020.

How has the concentration of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere changed from 1960 to 2020? Tick (✓) one box.

Cars emit carbon dioxide. A car emits 17.2 kg of carbon dioxide on a journey. There are four people in the car. Calculate the mass of carbon dioxide emitted per person.

Planting trees helps to reduce climate change, because trees use carbon dioxide from the Earth’s atmosphere. Name the process in trees which uses carbon dioxide.

Figure 2 shows the annual change in forest area in four different parts of the world.

Give two conclusions about the annual change in forest area.

Methane is a greenhouse gas. Figure 3 shows sources of methane emissions.

Determine the percentage (%) of methane emissions from landfill.

Figure 4 shows two ways (A and B) of preventing used items going to landfill.

Name A and B. Choose answers from the box.

This question is about the Earth’s atmosphere.

What is used to test for oxygen gas?

Tick (✓) one box.

The Earth’s early atmosphere was very different from the Earth’s atmosphere today.

Figure 2 shows the composition of the Earth’s early atmosphere and of the Earth’s atmosphere today.

The Earth’s atmosphere today contains a small amount of carbon dioxide.

Why has the percentage of carbon dioxide decreased since the Earth’s early atmosphere?

Tick (✓) two boxes.

Oxides of nitrogen are produced when nitrogen reacts with oxygen in car engines.

Figure 3 shows the concentration of oxides of nitrogen in the atmosphere during one day in a city.

Which two times have the highest concentrations of oxides of nitrogen in the atmosphere?

Suggest why there are the highest concentrations of oxides of nitrogen at these times.

This question is about fuels.

Coal deposits were formed from the remains of trees.

Name the process in the leaves of trees that uses carbon dioxide.

How is coal formed after trees die?

Tick (✓) one box.

Coal contains small amounts of sulfur.

Name the gas produced when sulfur burns in oxygen.

Give two problems caused by the gas produced when sulfur burns in oxygen.

Figure 4 shows the relative amount of electricity generated from different fuel sources in the UK from 2012 to 2018.

Describe what happens to the amounts of fuels used to generate electricity in the UK from 2012 to 2018.

This question is about the Earth’s atmosphere and the Earth’s resources.

After the formation of the Earth’s early atmosphere, the amounts of nitrogen and oxygen in the atmosphere changed. Explain the main changes in the amounts of nitrogen and oxygen in the Earth’s atmosphere.

Describe how coal was formed from the carbon dioxide present in the Earth’s early atmosphere.

The combustion of 1.0 kg of coal produces more carbon dioxide than the combustion of 1.0 kg of natural gas. Suggest why.

Metals are extracted from metal ores found in the Earth.

Describe how bioleaching is used to extract copper from low grade ores.

Phytomining uses plants to extract nickel from low grade ores. The plants contain 0.792% nickel by mass. The plants are burned to produce ash. The ash from these plants contains 4.80% nickel by mass. Calculate the mass of ash produced from burning 1000 kg of plants. Give your answer in grams in standard form.

This question is about the atmospheres of Earth and Mars.

Earth’s early atmosphere may have been like the atmosphere of Mars today. Why are scientists not certain about the percentage of gases in the Earth’s early atmosphere?

What was formed from the water vapour in the Earth’s early atmosphere? Tick (✓) one box.

The Earth’s atmosphere today consists mainly of nitrogen and oxygen. Draw one line from each gas to what produced the gas.

Table 2 shows the percentage of some gases in the atmospheres of

Earth and Mars.

Why are animals not able to live on Mars? Tick (✓) one box.

There is more carbon dioxide on Mars than on Earth. Which other gas is found in larger quantities on Mars than on Earth?

Calculate how many times more nitrogen than oxygen there is in the atmosphere of Earth. Use Table 2. Give your answer to 2 significant figures.

This question is about carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere. Figure 2 shows how the percentage of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere has changed over 4.6 billion years.

What was the highest percentage of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere? Use Figure 2.

The percentage of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has decreased since Earth’s early atmosphere. Which two processes have decreased the percentage of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere? Tick (✓) two boxes.

The total amount of carbon dioxide emitted over the life cycle of a product can be measured. What name is given to the total amount of carbon dioxide emitted during the life cycle of a product? Tick (✓) one box.

Carbon dioxide dissolves in water. Figure 3 shows the mass of carbon dioxide dissolved in water at different temperatures.

Complete Table 1. Use Figure 3.

Calculate the difference in the mass of carbon dioxide dissolved in 1 dm³ of water at 5 °C and at 15 °C Use Table 1.

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. The greenhouse effect happens in four stages. The four stages are: Stage A Carbon dioxide stops longer wavelength radiation escaping Stage B Radiation is absorbed by the Earth Stage C Longer wavelength radiation is emitted Stage D Shorter wavelength radiation enters the atmosphere. What is the correct order of stages A, B, C and D ? Tick (✓) one box.

Changes in the percentage of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere cause climate change. Give two effects of climate change.

This question is about the Earth’s atmosphere.

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. The greenhouse effect happens in four stages. The four stages are: Stage A Carbon dioxide stops longer wavelength radiation escaping Stage B Radiation is absorbed by the Earth Stage C Longer wavelength radiation is emitted Stage D Shorter wavelength radiation enters the atmosphere What is the correct order of stages A, B, C and D ? Tick (✓) one box.

Figure 6 shows how the percentage of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere has

changed over 4.6 billion years.

The mass of gas in Earth’s atmosphere remains constant at 5.15 × 10¹⁸ kg Determine the maximum mass of carbon dioxide that was in the Earth’s atmosphere. Use Figure 6.

Mass of carbon dioxide = kg

Describe the processes that have caused the main changes in the percentage of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere over the last 4.6 billion years. Use Figure 6.

This question is about gases.

Draw one line from each substance to the description of the substance.

What is used to test for each of the gases?

Draw one line from each gas to the test for the gas.

Give two reasons why the percentage of carbon dioxide in the air has decreased in the last 2.7 billion years.

Tick (✓) two boxes.

Oxygen reacts with sulfur dioxide.

The reaction is reversible.

What is the symbol for a reversible reaction?

Complete the sentence.

In a reversible reaction the forward reaction is exothermic, so the

A reversible reaction happens in apparatus which stops the escape of reactants and products.

Complete the sentence.

Equilibrium is reached when the forward and reverse reactions happen at

What percentage of the Earth’s atmosphere is nitrogen?

Tick one box.

During the first billion years of the Earth’s existence the amount of nitrogen in the atmosphere increased.

Give one source of this nitrogen.

Nitrogen is used to make ammonia.

The word equation for the reaction is:

Write the correct symbol in the equation to show that it is a reversible reaction.

A reversible reaction can reach equilibrium.

Complete the sentence.

Equilibrium is reached when the forward reaction and the reverse reaction happen at

Fertilisers are formulations containing nitrogen.

What is a formulation?

Table 4 shows percentages of chemical elements in a fertiliser.

Draw the bar for potassium on Figure 8

Use the information in Table 4

A fertiliser contains 0.225 g of iron per 3.0 g of fertiliser.

Which calculation gives the percentage of iron in the fertiliser?

Tick one box.

Figure 9 shows the use of fertiliser in four different countries, A, B, C and D, in 2003 and 2015

A student said:

‘ much more fertiliser was used in 2015 than in 2003’

Is the student correct?

Use data from Figure 9 to justify your answer.

This question is about the Earth’s atmosphere.

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas.

What is another greenhouse gas?

Tick one box.

Greenhouse gases cause global climate change.

Give two effects of global climate change.

4.1 kg of a plastic, used to make plastic bottles, has a carbon footprint of 6.0 kg of carbon dioxide.

Calculate the carbon footprint of one plastic bottle of mass 23.5 g

Give one way that carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced when a plastic bottle is manufactured.

Explain how the percentages of nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere today have changed from the Earth’s early atmosphere.

This question is about the Earth’s atmosphere.

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. What is another greenhouse gas?

Tick one box.

Greenhouse gases cause global climate change. Give two effects of global climate change.

4.1 kg of a plastic, used to make plastic bottles, has a carbon footprint of 6.0 kg of carbon dioxide. Calculate the carbon footprint of one plastic bottle of mass 23.5 g

Give one way that carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced when a plastic bottle is manufactured.

Explain how the percentages of nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere today have changed from the Earth’s early atmosphere.