2024/25 Academic year

Exercise
I) Subjective Questions

1) Define Environmental chemistry

2) What are the segments of the Environment

3) Define the atmosphere and describe the properties that make it essential
for humans.

4) Define the hydrosphere, explain its distribution on the Earth and the
areas where it exists.

5) What makes water essential for life on earth?

6) Define the Geosphere.

7) Describe the layers of the geosphere and show their sequence by using a
figure.

8) i) To which layer of the geosphere is Environmental Science mainly

concerned? Ii) Indicate the position of this layer, its depth and the layers
included in it?

9) In the geospheric layers, what is the name of the layer that is accessible
to humans?

10) What are the constituents of the biosphere?

11) Where do we find the biosphere?

12) Define the Anthroposphere

13) Point out the main categories of the sources of contaminants and
provide examples of each.

14) Explain how contaminants are transported.

15) Discuss the fates of contaminants in the environment.

16) What are acid-base reactions in the atmosphere, and how do they
contribute to environmental issues like acid rain?

17) Explain the role of atmospheric O₂ in the formation of ozone in the

stratosphere.

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18) How does N₂ participate in atmospheric reactions, particularly in the
formation of nitrogen oxides (NOx)?

19) What is photochemical smog, and what role do volatile organic

compounds (VOCs) play in its formation?

20) Discuss the process of tropospheric ozone formation and its

environmental impacts.

21) How does the destruction of ozone in the troposphere differ from its
destruction in the stratosphere?

22) Describe how CO₂ reacts in the atmosphere and its role in global
warming.

23) What role does atmospheric water vapor play in the Earth’s climate
system?

24) What are the chemical processes involved in acid rain formation?

25) Explain the relationship between global warming & the melting of polar ice
caps.

26) Discuss the effects of global warming on biodiversity and ecosystems.

27) How does stratospheric ozone depletion occur, and what are the
consequences?

28) What are the key reactions involved in the depletion of stratospheric
ozone by CFCs? Show schematically!

29) What are NOx radicals, and how do they affect atmospheric chemistry?

30) Describe the chemistry of ozone depletion in polar regions, particularly

in the formation of the ozone hole.

31) How do atmospheric CO₂ levels influence the carbon cycle & climate
change?

32) What role do greenhouse gases play in the Earth’s energy balance?

33) How does the formation of tropospheric ozone differ from the formation
of stratospheric ozone?

34) What are the main environmental and health impacts of increased
ground-level ozone?

35) What is climate change?

36) What are the properties of CFCs?

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37) What is the eventual fate of Cl in the destruction of ozone?

38) List five key greenhouse gases that prevent the heat from leaving
the atm.

39) What are the factors involved in maintaining the Earth’s heat balance
within very narrow limits that are crucial to retaining conditions of
climate that will support present levels of life on earth.

II) Multiple Choice Questions

1) Which of the following gases primarily contributes to acid rain?

a) CO₂ b) SO₂ c) O₃ d) CH₄

2) What is the main source of nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere?

a) Volcanic eruptions c) Photosynthesis
b) Combustion of fossil fuels d) Ocean evaporation

3) Which process leads to the formation of photochemical smog?

a) Ozone depletion c) Reaction of NOx and VOCs with
sunlight
b) Acid rain formation d) Condensation of water vapor

4) What is the major consequence of tropospheric ozone?

a) Protection from UV radiation c) Respiratory problems in
humans
b) Formation of acid rain d) Ozone layer depletion

5) Which of the following chemicals is most responsible for stratospheric

ozone depletion?
a) CO₂ b) CFCs c) NOx d) O₂ e) all

6) What is the primary function of ozone in the stratosphere?

a) Absorb infrared radiation c) Absorb ultraviolet radiation
b) Reflect sunlight d) Trap heat e) none

7) Which of the following is a greenhouse gas?

a) N2 b) Ar c) CH 4 d) Ne e) all

8) What type of radiation does atmospheric CO₂ primarily absorb?

a) UV radiation c) Infrared radiation
b) Visible light d) Microwave radiation e) x-ray

9) The primary component of acid rain is:

a) HCl b) H2SO4 c) HNO3 d) Both b and c e) all

10) What causes the greenhouse effect?

a) Absorption of UV rays by ozone
b) Trapping of heat by greenhouse gases
c) Reflection of solar radiation
d) Emission of infrared radiation by the Earth
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11) Which atmospheric layer contains the highest concentration of
ozone?
a) Troposphere b) Stratosphere c) Mesosphere d)
Thermosphere

12) What is the primary cause of the ozone hole over Antarctica?
a) Global warming c) Increased UV radiation
b) Polar stratospheric clouds and CFCs d) Volcanic eruptions e)
none

13) The reaction of NOx radicals with oxygen in the presence of

sunlight forms:
a) O3 b) Water vapour c) CO d) CH 4 e) a & c

14) What is the major effect of increased CO₂ levels on Earth's

climate?
a) Global cooling c) Depletion of ozone
b) Global warming d) Formation of acid rain e) all

15) What are the main chemicals responsible for photochemical

smog?
a) O₂ & O₃ b) NOx & VOCs c) CO₂ & H₂O d) SO₂ & CO e)
all

16) Which of the following is not a greenhouse gas?

a) Water vapour b) CH4 c) CO2 d) N2 e)
all

17) Which gas is responsible for the warming effect known as the
greenhouse effect?
a) N2 b) O2 c) CO2 d) O3 e) a & c

18) Which radical plays a critical role in the destruction of ozone in

the stratosphere?
a) Hydroxyl radical (OH) c) Nitrate radical (NO₃)
b) Chlorine radical (Cl) d) Carbon radical (C) e) all

19) In the atmosphere, nitrogen oxides (NOx) are responsible for the
formation of:
a) Stratospheric ozone b) Acid rain c) CFCs d) Water vapour e)
none

20) Which environmental issue is directly linked to the burning of

fossil fuels?
a) Ozone depletion c) Increased albedo
b) Global warming d) Ocean acidification e) c & d

21) Which type of UV radiation is absorbed by the ozone layer?

a) UVA b) UVB c) UVC d) All of the above e) none

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 22) What is the effect of increased ground-level ozone on
vegetation?
a) Enhanced growth d) Increased water absorption
b) Reduced growth and crop yields e) none
c) No effect

23) Which process is responsible for the formation of nitric acid in

acid rain?
a) Reaction of NO₂ with water c) Photodissociation of ozone
b) Reaction of NO with CO₂ d) Reaction of NO with O₂ e)
none

24) Which of the following gases is not a contributor to the

formation of acid rain?
a) SO₂ b) CO₂ c) NO₂ d) O₃ e) b & c

25) Which region is most affected by the ozone hole?

a) North America b) Europe c) Antarctica d) Asia a&c

26) Which of the following is a consequence of stratospheric ozone

depletion?
a) Increase in respiratory diseases c) Acid rain formation
b) Increased UV radiation exposure d) Global cooling e)
none

27) Which human activity is a major source of CO₂ in the

atmosphere?
a) Photosynthesis c) Nuclear reactions
b) Fossil fuel combustion d) Volcanoes e) c & b

28) Which greenhouse gas is primarily responsible for the enhanced

greenhouse effect?
a) CH4 b) Water vapour c) N 2 d) CO2 e) b & c

29) Which compound is formed when carbon dioxide dissolves in

water?
a) H2SO4 b) HNO3 c) H2CO3 d) HCl e) none

30) Which of the following is a consequence of global warming?

a) Increased albedo c) Decrease in ocean temperatures
b) Sea level rise d) Increase in polar ice e) all

III) True/False
1) About 90% of the ozone in the atmosphere is found in the Earth's
stratospheric O3-layer (T/F)
2) The Sydney Chapman describes the source of O 3 to the stratosphere
(T/F)
3) The reason why the Sydney chapman does not apply in the
troposphere is that, the strong UV photons have been totally absorbed
by O2 & O3 in the stratosphere. (T/F)

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4) Aerosols can act as the cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) which tend to
increase the albedo of clouds and cause atmospheric cooling. (T/F)
5) About 80 % of the total mass of the atm is contained in troposphere.
(T/F)
6) In the stratosphere, air temp drops uniformly with altitude at a rate of
~6.5°C per 1000 meters. (T/F)
7) Top of the troposphere is reached at an average temp of -56.5°C (T/F)
8) The higher temps found in the troposphere occurs because of a
localized conc of O3 gas molecules. (T/F)
9) The coldest temp in Earth's atm, about -90°C, is found near the top of
the stratpsphere (T/F)
10) The catalytic destruction of O 3 by halogen radicals such as Cl & F is
the most significant chemical reaction that can deplete stratospheric
O3 (T/F)