Homework #21

2BSAS #1-8

1. Photons of electromagnetic radiation have energy ranges characteristic of the type of radiation involved. All waves, including photon waves of electromagnetic radiation involves oscillation (frequency).

2. Because it covers so many different types and forms of light.

3. Visible light (i.e. sunlight) is used in photosynthesis because most of the radiant energy emitted by the sun is spread over a large portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, and the visible radiation energizes electrons in some chemical bonds, which are needed for photosynthesis reactions.

4.

a. Infrared, visible, ultraviolet.

b. Infrared radiation is another form of heat energy, which indicatively heats living things. Visible light affects plant growth, which is why it is the main factor in photosynthesis. Ultraviolet light is directly responsible for physical beings, causing sunburns.

5. Ultraviolet light is affected for this use because it can kill bacteria and destroy viruses. Visible light cannot complete this task because of its inability to break covalent bonds and sterilize materials.

6. Carbon dioxide and water vapor are two of the most common greenhouse gases, and absorb radiation from infrared light and redirect this absorbed light back towards earth. 90% of visible radiation is directed towards Earth’s surface, where the stratosphere absorbs it.

7. The two main effects of the solar radiation that reaches Earth’s surface is more energy, and hotter water effecting the hydrologic cycle.

8.

a. Snow, sand, or concrete, (all asphalts) warms up more quickly when exposed to sunlight. This is because when solar radiation strikes these materials, it is reflected and illuminated back into space. On the other hand, lake water does reflect light, but also stores absorb and stores heat.

b. Water, in forms like water vapor, act as greenhouse gases and absorb infrared light and reradiate it back to earth's surface. Asphalts directly reflect light sources back into space.

4SBS #14-21 

14. CO2 and water vapor are both greenhouse gases, atmospheric gas molecules that effectively absorb infrared radiation, which is not directly coming from the sun. The infrared radiation comes from transformed UV and radiation from the sky. Because this type of energy is essentially heat energy, these gases have trapped light in order to absorb, reradiate, and reflect this heat energy to earth's surface.

15. 

a. Natural: breathing, bacterial decay.

    burning of fossil fuels, agricultural/industrial. 

b. Natural: decomposition of wastes, burning of solid waste.  

    Human: burning of fossil fuels, raising animals/livestock. 

16. 

a. lower altitude, increase in greenhouse/atmospheric gases, higher air pressure.
b. higher altitude, decrease in greenhouse/atmospheric gases, lower air pressure.

17. What goes on in greenhouse with transparent glass imitates the way the greenhouse gases transform UV and visible radiation to IR radiation within clouds, and reradiate and reflect the heat energy within earth, or the greenhouse (since the infrared light cannot escape through the glass, like earth's CO2 and H2O gas that act as a shield). This is why on a sunny winter day, a greenhouse with transparent glass walls is much warmer than is a structure with opaque wooden walls. 

18. See paper. 

19. CO2 gas, calcium carbonate, methane (CH4)

20. The carbon atom could be part of the atmosphere as a gas as a result of photosynthesis, in the lithosphere as plant or animal waste decay, or part of the hydrosphere as limestone.