The Atmosphere

Multiple Choice Quiz

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You will get a different set of questions each time you attempt this quiz.

The part of the atmosphere that stretches from 15 km to 50 km above the earth's surface is known as the
1. stratosphere
2. mesosphere
3. troposphere
4. thermosphere
About 90% of the earth's air is to be found in this part of the atmosphere
1. troposphere
2. stratosphere
3. mesosphere
4. thermosphere
What is the main component of exhaled air?
1. Nitrogen (N₂)
2. Oxygen (O₂)
3. Carbon dioxide (CO₂)
4. Water vapour (H₂O)
Which one of the following is not a use of oxygen?
1. refrigeration
2. arc-welding
3. breathing apparatus in hospitals
4. steel-making
Which one of the following is not a use of nitrogen?
1. Fire extinguishers
2. Coolant
3. Wart removal
4. Food storage
Which one of the following statements is incorrect?
1. Some bacteria in the soil convert nitrates in the soil into nitrogen gas.
2. Nitrogen fixation removes nitrogen from the atmosphere and converts it into ammonia in the soil.
3. Lightning causes nitrogen in the air to react with oxygen forming NO and NO₂.
4. Atmospheric nitrogen may be used in the manufacture of fertilisers.
In nature, carbon forms two well-known oxides, carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon dioxide (CO₂).
Which of the following statements is incorrect?
1. Carbon monoxide helps transport oxygen in haemoglobin through the blood.
2. When carbon monoxide is burned in oxygen, it forms carbon dioxide.
3. Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless and toxic gas.
4. Catalytic converters in cars convert carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide.
From the list below, select two ways of naturally absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
1. Carbon dioxide dissolves in sea-water to produce carbonates and hydrogencarbonates.
2. Carbon dioxide is used up in photosynthesis
3. Carbon dioxide is used up in respiration
4. Carbon dioxide is removed from air in catalytic converters in automobiles
Which one of the following gases is not considered to be a greenhouse gas?
1. Nitrogen
2. Carbon dioxide
3. Methane
4. Water vapour
Which one of the following oxides is not released from burning coal?
1. Copper oxide
2. Carbon dioxide
3. Sulfur dioxide
4. Nitrogen oxides
Which one of the following reactions occurs in the atmosphere to produce acid rain?
1. SO₂ + H₂O → H₂SO₃
2. S + O₂ → SO₂
3. CO + O₂ → CO₂
4. H₂ + ½O₂ → H₂O
Acid rain is not responsible for
1. the Greenhouse Effect
2. erosion of buildings and statues
3. damage to the foliage of trees
4. lowering the pH of water in lakes
Which one of the following processes does not form sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere?
1. The breakdown of ozone
2. The burning of coal
3. Volcanic eruptions
4. Decaying organic matter
The exhausts of automobiles do not release
1. hydrogen
2. nitrogen oxides
3. carbon dioxide
4. carbon monoxide
Unleaded petrol was introduced in 1986 because
1. lead affects the brain
2. unleaded petrol was cheaper
3. leaded petrol was more expensive
4. unleaded petrol made cars go faster
The Greenhouse Effect is considered by many scientists to cause
1. an increase in global temperatures
2. skin cancer
3. an increase in asthma sufferers
4. larger sized vegetables
To which one of the following effects is global warming not expected to contribute?
1. Increasing the size of the ozone hole
2. Melting the Greenland ice sheet
3. Causing climate change
4. Increasing sea levels
In December 2009, five major nations including China and the USA agreed to limit global temperature rise to 2^oC. What was this agreement called?
1. Copenhagen Agreement
2. Kyoto Protocol
3. Nice Treaty
4. Montreal Agreement
Carbon dioxide and oxygen levels in the air have been maintained at a consistant level by
1. photosynthesis and respiration
2. perspiration
3. photosynthesis only
4. respiration only
The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been increased by what two of the following factors?
1. deforestation
2. excessive burning of fossil fuels
3. increasing human population
4. excessive use of aerosol sprays
The ozone layer
1. protects us against the sun's harmful ultra-violet rays.
2. causes atmospheric pollution.
3. is harmful to plants.
4. reacts with plastics and rubber.
The hole in the ozone layer is thought by scientists to have been caused by
1. chlorofluorocarbon gases
2. space exploration
3. methane gas
4. carbon dioxide gas
Ozone is a form of oxygen. Which one of the following statements about ozone is incorrect?
1. Ozone is formed from the breaking up of the CaCO₃ molecule.
2. The chemical formula for ozone is O₃.
3. Ozone is a pungent, pale blue gas.
4. Ozone is predominantly found in the upper stratosphere.
Ozone gas (O₃) is formed from the interaction between oxygen molecules (O₂) and ultra-violet light.
In what part of the earth's atmosphere does this take place?
1. The stratosphere
2. The thermosphere.
3. The mesosphere
4. The troposphere
Which of the following best describes the formation of ozone in the upper atmosphere?
1. O₂ + UV light → O^• + O^•
  O^• + O₂ → O₃
2. O₂ → O^• + O^•
  O^• + O₂ → O₃
3. O₂ + heat → O^• + O^•
  O^• + O₂ → O₃
4. Cl₂ + UV light → Cl^• + Cl^•
  Cl^• +2O₂ → ClO^• + O₃
Which one of the following equations represents the photo-dissociation of ozone in the stratosphere?
1. O₃ + UV light → O₂ + O^•
2. O₃ + O^• → 2O₂
3. O₃ + Cl^• → ClO^• + O₂
4. O₃ + NO → NO₂ + O₂
CFCs are a family of compounds containing the elements carbon, fluorine and chlorine. Which of the following statements is not correct?
1. Each CFC molecule destroys a single ozone molecule.
2. CFCs were to be found in aerosol sprays and refrigerants.
3. CFCs can remain in the atmosphere for up to 100 years.
4. Ozone is attacked by a chlorine atom that breaks free from the CFC molecule.
Select two reasons why ozone is important to life on earth
1. It absorbs harmful ultra-violet rays from the sun.
2. It kills harmful bacteria and fungi.
3. It is is required for respiration.
4. It removes chlorofluorocarbons from our atmosphere.
The greenhouse factor of a gas is a measure of its greenhouse effect relative to a gas which is assigned a value of 1. What is the name of the gas that has been assigned the value of one?
1. Carbon dioxide (CO₂)
2. Methane (CH₄)
3. Dinitrogen oxide (N₂O)
4. Water vapour (H₂O)
When carbon dioxide (CO₂) dissolves in seawater, which one of the following species does not form as a result?
1. Carbon monoxide (CO)
2. Carbonic acid (H₂CO₃)
3. Hydrogencarbonate ion (HCO₃^-)
4. Carbonate ion (CO₃^2-)
Which one of the following is a benefit of the greenhouse effect?
1. It keeps the earth at a steady temperature suitable for life to exist.
2. Carbon dioxide is always available for photosynthesis.
3. It traps oxygen gas and prevents it escaping to space.
4. It stops harmful ultra-violet rays from reaching earth.
An acidic oxide usually reacts with water to form an acid.
Which one of the following oxides is not an acidic oxide?
1. Copper dioxide (CuO₂)
2. Carbon dioxide (CO₂)
3. Sulfur dioxide (SO₂)
4. Nitrogen dioxode (NO₂)
Which one of the following species is a CFC gas?
1. Trichlorofluoromethane (CCl₃F)
2. Methane (CH₄)
3. Trichloromethane (CHCl₃)
4. Carbon dioxide (CO₂)
CFCs are no longer used in aerosol sprays and refrigerants due to their harmful effect on the atmosphere. What is the general name given to their replacements.
1. HCFCs
2. Halogens
3. Fluorocarbons
4. Alkenes
Which one of the following is not a property of carbon monoxide (CO) gas?
1. Has a light blue colour
2. Odourless gas
3. Very toxic gas
4. It burns in oxygen to produce carbon dioxide
Chlorofluorocarbons released from aerosol sprays and refrigeration units rise up to the stratosphere where
1. they are broken down by ultra-violet radiation, form free radicals and destroy ozone.
2. they form a thin layer that prevents heat leaving the earth.
3. they become free radicals that change oxygen (O₂) into ozone (O₃).
4. they react with carbon dioxide to produce free radicals that attack the ozone layer.
Which one of the following causes a bigger hole in the ozone layer?
1. Greater use of CFCs in aerosols and refrigerators.
2. Higher temperatures in the oceans.
3. Increased burning of fossil fuels.
4. More occurences of smog in large cities.
Sulfur dioxide causes acid rain.
Which one of the following is the main source of this sulfur dioxide?
1. Burning coal.
2. Thunder and lightning storms.
3. Earthquakes.
4. Emissions from nuclear power plants.
In which layer of the atmosphere does ozone absorb the most UV radiation?
1. Stratosphere
2. Mesosphere
3. Thermosphere
4. Troposphere
Which of the following is the most suitable replacement for CFCs in terms of reducing their environmental impact?
1. CH₂F₂
2. CH₄
3. CH₂CIF
4. CHCl₂CCl₂F