Photo AI
This question is about changes to the Earth's atmosphere - Edexcel - GCSE Chemistry - 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 - 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: a large amount of carbon dioxide and a small amount of oxygen. In the Earth's early atmosphere, carbon dioxide was the predominant gas, while oxygen was present only in trace amounts.
Step 2
Explain whether these graphs provide evidence that an increase in carbon dioxide is causing the Earth's temperature to rise.
Answer
The graphs illustrate a clear upward trend in both the concentration of carbon dioxide and the global mean temperature from 1960 to 2000. As the concentration of carbon dioxide increases from approximately 310 ppm to nearly 370 ppm, the mean global temperature shows a similar upward trajectory, rising from around 14°C to about 14.5°C. This correlation suggests a possible connection between rising carbon dioxide levels and increasing temperatures.
It is important to note that correlation does not imply causation. While the data shows that both variables increase over time, further investigation is needed to establish a definitive causal relationship. Other factors, such as greenhouse gas emissions and natural climate variability, could also play significant roles in influencing Earth's temperature. However, the data presented does indicate that increasing carbon dioxide levels are likely contributing to the overall rise in global temperatures.