Earth and Atmosphere questions

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Earth and Atmosphere question collection

Review Earth and Atmosphere questions for Chemistry, with correct answers shown and coverage across choosing which gas is most abundant in Earth's atmosphere today; roughly what percentage of Earth's atmosphere is oxygen; choosing which gas is a major greenhouse gas.

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Question 1

Which gas is most abundant in Earth's atmosphere today?
  1. Nitrogen
  2. Oxygen
  3. Carbon dioxide
  4. Argon

Question 2

Roughly what percentage of Earth's atmosphere is oxygen?
  1. About \(21\%\)
  2. About \(78\%\)
  3. About \(50\%\)
  4. Less than \(1\%\)

Question 3

Which gas is a major greenhouse gas?
  1. Carbon dioxide
  2. Nitrogen
  3. Helium
  4. Neon

Question 4

How do greenhouse gases warm Earth?
  1. They absorb and re-emit infrared radiation
  2. They absorb and re-emit visible light
  3. They reflect infrared radiation into space
  4. They convert infrared radiation into ultraviolet

Question 5

Which human activity is a major source of extra carbon dioxide?
  1. Burning fossil fuels
  2. Condensation of water vapour
  3. Earthquakes
  4. Planting trees

Question 6

What did fossil fuels form from?
  1. Ancient organisms
  2. Molten rock
  3. Atmospheric gases
  4. Metal ores

Question 7

Which of these is a fossil fuel?
  1. Natural gas
  2. Hydrogen
  3. Bioethanol
  4. Solar energy

Question 8

What effect does photosynthesis have on atmospheric carbon dioxide?
  1. It removes carbon dioxide
  2. It releases carbon dioxide
  3. It converts carbon dioxide into nitrogen
  4. It leaves carbon dioxide unchanged

Question 9

Which process returns carbon dioxide to the atmosphere?
  1. Respiration
  2. Photosynthesis
  3. Condensation
  4. Filtration

Question 10

Which stores exchange carbon in the carbon cycle?
  1. The atmosphere, oceans, organisms and rocks
  2. The atmosphere, rivers, metals and planets
  3. The oceans, clouds, magnets and soils
  4. Organisms, stars, metals and glaciers

Question 11

Why can deforestation raise atmospheric carbon dioxide?
  1. Less photosynthesis removes it
  2. More photosynthesis releases it
  3. Less respiration absorbs it
  4. More condensation produces it

Question 12

Which gases are the main causes of acid rain?
  1. Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides
  2. Carbon dioxide and methane
  3. Oxygen and hydrogen
  4. Nitrogen and argon

Question 13

What is one environmental effect of acid rain?
  1. Acidification of lakes and soils
  2. Eutrophication of lakes and rivers
  3. Global dimming of the atmosphere
  4. Depletion of stratospheric ozone

Question 14

What health problem can particulate pollution cause?
  1. Breathing difficulties
  2. Hearing loss
  3. Tooth decay
  4. Broken bones

Question 15

Which pollutants do catalytic converters reduce?
  1. Carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides
  2. Carbon dioxide and water vapour
  3. Sulfur dioxide and particulates
  4. Methane and chlorofluorocarbons

Question 16

How can renewable electricity reduce greenhouse-gas emissions?
  1. By replacing fossil-fuel combustion
  2. By trapping gases in power stations
  3. By converting carbon dioxide into oxygen
  4. By preventing decomposition in soils

Question 17

Compared with today, which pair describes Earth's early atmosphere?
  1. Low O₂; high CO₂
  2. High O₂; low CO₂
  3. Low O₂; low CO₂
  4. High O₂; high CO₂

Question 18

What increased oxygen levels in Earth's atmosphere over geological time?
  1. Photosynthetic organisms such as algae and plants
  2. Combustion of fossil fuels
  3. Thermal decomposition of limestone
  4. Industrial catalytic converters

Question 19

Which equation represents complete combustion of methane?
  1. \(\mathrm{CH}_{4} + 2\mathrm{O}_{2} \to \mathrm{CO}_{2} + 2\mathrm{H}_{2}\mathrm{O}\)
  2. \(\mathrm{CH}_{4} + \mathrm{O}_{2} \to \mathrm{CO} + \mathrm{H}_{2}\)
  3. \(\mathrm{CH}_{4} \to \mathrm{C} + 2\mathrm{H}_{2}\)
  4. \(2\mathrm{CH}_{4} + \mathrm{O}_{2} \to 2\mathrm{CO}_{2} + 2\mathrm{H}_{2}\mathrm{O}\)

Question 20

Why is the natural greenhouse effect important?
  1. It keeps Earth warm enough for life
  2. It supplies oxygen for respiration
  3. It blocks ultraviolet radiation
  4. It creates Earth's magnetic field

Question 21

Which noble gas is most abundant in Earth's atmosphere?
  1. Argon
  2. Helium
  3. Neon
  4. Krypton

Question 22

Roughly how much of today's atmosphere is oxygen?
  1. About 21%
  2. About 0.04%
  3. About 1%
  4. About 78%

Question 23

What gas is needed for combustion?
  1. Oxygen
  2. Nitrogen
  3. Carbon dioxide
  4. Argon

Question 24

Which gas besides carbon dioxide contributes to the greenhouse effect?
  1. Methane
  2. Nitrogen
  3. Oxygen
  4. Argon

Question 25

Which human activity releases substantial methane?
  1. Cattle farming
  2. Planting forests
  3. Generating solar power
  4. Recycling glass

Question 26

What pollutant can cause acid rain?
  1. Sulfur dioxide
  2. Oxygen
  3. Nitrogen
  4. Water vapour

Question 27

How can atmospheric particulates cause global dimming?
  1. They reflect sunlight back into space
  2. They trap infrared radiation near Earth
  3. They destroy ozone in the stratosphere
  4. They convert oxygen into carbon dioxide

Question 28

Which exhaust gas is not removed by a catalytic converter?
  1. Carbon dioxide
  2. Carbon monoxide
  3. Nitrogen monoxide
  4. Unburned hydrocarbons

Question 29

Which process returns carbon from dead organisms to the atmosphere?
  1. Decomposition
  2. Photosynthesis
  3. Sedimentation
  4. Fossilisation

Question 30

Which change occurs when atmospheric water vapour cools below its dew point?
  1. Condensation
  2. Evaporation
  3. Melting
  4. Sublimation

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Review Earth and Atmosphere questions for Chemistry, with correct answers shown and coverage across choosing which gas is most abundant in Earth's atmosphere today; roughly what percentage of Earth's atmosphere is oxygen; choosing which gas is a major greenhouse gas.

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