Atmospheric pollutants

Which gas in the atmosphere causes acid rain?

A Carbon monoxide

B Hydrogen

C Oxygen

D Sulfur dioxide

Alkanes are an important group of hydrocarbons. They are used as fuels as they release large amounts of energy as they burn.

The table shows how the energy released for different alkanes changes with the number of carbon atoms in a molecule.

Plot the data from the table on the graph.

Include a scale for the y axis.

Number of carbon atoms in a molecule

Draw a line of best fit.

Use your graph to estimate the energy released when propane burns.

Energy released when propane burns =........ kJ / mol

When methane, CH₄, burns it can produce carbon monoxide, CO, or carbon dioxide, CO₂.

State two problems caused by the products of burning methane.

Suggest why methane sometimes produces carbon monoxide, CO, instead of carbon dioxide, CO₂.

Burning fossil fuels can produce solids called particulates.

Which product of burning fossil fuels is an example of a particulate?

A Carbon

B Carbon monoxide

C Nitrogen dioxide

D Sulfur dioxide

14* Cars can burn petrol or diesel as a fuel. The composition of the exhaust fumes depends on the type of fuel used.

The table shows the percentages of some substances found in the exhaust fumes of petrol and diesel cars.

Describe one advantage and one disadvantage of using petrol as a fuel. Use information from the table.

Explain your answer using your knowledge of the environmental problems caused by these substances.

Which toxic gas is produced from burning fossil fuels?

A Carbon dioxide

B Carbon monoxide

C Nitrogen

D Oxygen

The burning of fossil fuels can produce gases that cause acid rain.

Which gas causes acid rain?

A Carbon monoxide

B Nitrogen

C Oxygen

D Sulfur dioxide

Crude oil is a mixture of different chemicals called fractions.

What is the name of the process used to separate crude oil into fractions?

Table 13.1 shows the stages in the separation of crude oil into fractions.

The stages are not in the correct order.

Write W, X, Y and Z in the boxes to show the correct order of the stages.

Table 13.2 shows information about the different gases in the LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) fraction separated from crude oil.

Write the name of the homologous series of the gases in the LPG fraction.

Use the data in Table 13.2 to estimate the boiling point of butane.

The equation shows the reaction for methane burning in a limited amount of oxygen.

Write down the name of the hazardous gas formed in this reaction.

State why the gas identified in (d)(i) is hazardous to humans.

Which row correctly shows a gas produced in a car engine and the problem it can cause?

This question is about the Earth’s atmosphere and the greenhouse effect.

Scientists think that without the greenhouse effect the average temperature of the Earth’s surface would be about −18 °C.

Explain how the greenhouse effect keeps the average temperature above −18 °C.

Many scientists think that human activity is enhancing the greenhouse effect and leading to global warming.

Explain this statement.

Student A thinks that the increased use of electric cars would help reduce the greenhouse effect.

Student B thinks that the increased use of electric cars would not help reduce the greenhouse effect.

Explain why each student may be correct.

The waste gases from vehicle engines contain oxides of nitrogen.

Explain how the oxides of nitrogen are formed in an engine.

Most vehicles are fitted with catalytic converters. They reduce the amount of the oxides of nitrogen released into the atmosphere.

Describe why this is important.

The reaction between sulfur dioxide and oxygen is reversible.

In a closed system the reaction between sulfur dioxide and oxygen reaches a dynamic equilibrium.

Use a symbol from the list to complete the sentence.

At equilibrium, the rate of the forward reaction is …….... the rate of the reverse reaction.

What is meant by the term reversible reaction ?

Name one source of sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere.

Describe two problems caused by the release of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere.

The table shows some relative atomic masses.

Calculate the percentage, by mass, of oxygen in SO₂.

Give your answer to 1 decimal place.

The amount of sulfur dioxide released in the UK is decreasing.

This graph shows how it has decreased since 1970.

How much did the sulfur dioxide decrease between 1975 and 2015?

Sulfur dioxide decrease =........ kilotonnes

The graph shows how the masses of three atmospheric pollutants have changed in one city since 1990.

The atmospheric pollutants are:

• Oxides of nitrogen, NO_x

• Ammonia, NH₃

• Sulfur dioxide, SO₂

In which year was 280 tonnes of oxides of nitrogen present in the atmosphere? A 1990 B 2000 C 2005 D 2010

Look at the graph in question 9.

Which statement is true based on the data on the graph?

A In 2015 the level of oxides of nitrogen was higher than the levels of sulfur dioxide or ammonia. B The levels of all three pollutants fell by the same amount between 1990 and 2015. C The level of ammonia fell the most between 1990 and 2015. D The level of sulfur dioxide decreased by more than half between 2000 and 2015.