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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
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 prevalent, while oxygen was relatively scarce.
Step 2
Describe how the composition of the atmosphere is affected by burning fossil fuels.
Answer
Burning fossil fuels releases significant amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. This process increases the concentration of carbon dioxide, contributing to the greenhouse effect. The enhanced greenhouse effect leads to a rise in global temperatures, altering the composition of the atmosphere by increasing the proportion of carbon dioxide compared to other gases.
Step 3
Explain whether these graphs provide evidence that an increase in carbon dioxide is causing the Earth’s temperature to rise.
Answer
The graphs show a clear upward trend in both carbon dioxide concentrations and mean global temperatures from 1960 to 2000. As carbon dioxide levels increased, there was a corresponding rise in global temperatures. This correlation suggests that the increase in carbon dioxide likely contributes to the rise in temperature, providing evidence that supports the idea that carbon dioxide emissions are causing the Earth's temperature to rise.