Environmental Chemistry

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Environmental Chemistry
W Richards The Weald School
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Soil
Most of the Earth is covered by a layer of soil.
What is soil made of?
Some plants prefer acidic soil and some prefer
alkaline soil. To make soil more alkaline ______
_____ can be added. To make it more acidic ___
____ is used.
Words animals, moss peat, rock, calcium
carbonate, water
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Acid Rain
Acid rain damages trees and buildings and can
harm wildlife. What causes it?
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Air pollution
As well as acid rain, air can be polluted by
dust, pollen, compounds of lead and carbon
monoxide. Nearly all of this pollution is man
made, so how can we stop it?
Develop more efficient engines
Wash waste gases to remove dust and particles
Use low sulphur petrol
Use lead-free petrol
Use catalytic converters in cars
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Global Warming

• Facts
• The 10 warmest years of the last century have all
  occurred within the last 15 years
• Sea level has risen by between 12 and 24cm in the
  last 100 years
• Rainfall has risen by 1

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The Greenhouse Effect
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Upsetting the balance
Until recently, the environment has maintained a
balance in carbon dioxide
Unfortunately, this balance is being upset by two
main factors

• Excessive burning of fossil fuels
• is producing too much carbon dioxide

• Large scale deforestation
• is slowing down the removal of carbon dioxide
  from the atmosphere