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This question is about changes to the Earth's atmosphere - Edexcel - GCSE Chemistry Combined Science - Question 1 - 2016 - Paper 1
Question 1
This question is about changes to the Earth's atmosphere. (a) Which of the following is a correct statement about the relative amounts of carbon dioxide and oxygen ... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:This question is about changes to the Earth's atmosphere - Edexcel - GCSE Chemistry Combined Science - Question 1 - 2016 - Paper 1
Step 1
(a) Which of the following is a correct statement about the relative amounts of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the Earth’s early atmosphere?
Answer
The correct answer is B: large amount of carbon dioxide and small amount of oxygen. In the early atmosphere, carbon dioxide was the predominant gas, while oxygen levels were minimal.
Step 2
(b) Several processes change the composition of the Earth’s atmosphere. Describe how the composition of the atmosphere is affected by burning fossil fuels.
Answer
Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, significantly increasing its concentration. This process not only raises CO2 levels but also contributes to other pollutants, such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which can lead to changes in atmospheric composition, promoting greenhouse gas effects.
Step 3
(c) Explain whether these graphs provide evidence that an increase in carbon dioxide is causing the Earth’s temperature to rise.
Answer
The graphs from Figure 1 and Figure 2 indicate a correlation between increasing carbon dioxide concentrations and rising mean global temperatures from 1960 to 2000. As CO2 levels increase, we observe a corresponding increase in global temperature, suggesting a potential causal relationship. This pattern supports the understanding that elevated CO2 due to human activities, including fossil fuel combustion, contributes to climate change.