BBE 2201 Final Exam Study Guide 2023 with complete
solution
Slow Carbon Cycle
Carbon moving through rocks, soil, the ocean, and the atmosphere over time
Fast Carbon Cycle
Carbon moving through life forms, i.e plants and animals
True/False: Clearing forests to plant agricultural crops results in an increase in
atmospheric carbon dioxide
True. There is a carbon equilibrium established with any land use.
Where are the 9 gigatons of added carbon (by humans) in the fast carbon cycle
going?
Two = taken up by oceans
Four = into the atmosphere
Three = plants, soils & other biomass
Algae and other plants play this role in the Carbon Cycle:
Carbon Sink
Term that describes how carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, pedosphere,
geosphere, hydrosphere and the atmosphere of Earth:
The Carbon Cycle
Term that describes the amount of carbon dioxide, or equivalent greenhouse gas,
caused by a person, organization, event or product:
Carbon Footprint
Term for Carbon created by human activity:
Anthropogenic Carbon
Of these three fossil fuels (natural gas, coal, petroleum), which contributes the
LEAST to U.S carbon emissions?
Coal
Of the four sectors for carbon dioxide emissions contributors in the U.S
(commercial, transportation, industrial, residential), which is the largest?
Transportation
Carbon dioxide accounts for ____% of U.S global warming potential
82%
An LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) provides:
Information to assess the environmental impact of a product of service.
Four potential users of LCAs:
Product Designers
Consumers
Academics
Marketers
Normalization in an LCA does what?
Helps put the results in perspective in order to compare with other impacts.
List the 5 stages of the LCA process map:
1. Material Extraction
2. Manufacturing the product
, 3. Packaging and Transportation (distribution)
4. Use
5. End of Life
It is estimated that there are about 20 lbs of CO2e per gallon of milk. In contrast,
Coke has a carbon footprint of about 250 g CO2e/liter (purchased in 2 liter plastic
bottles). What is milk's carbon footprint in g CO2e/liter?
The conversion:
20 lbs/gal x 1 gal/3.78 liters x 453 grams/lb
~~ 2110 grams/liter
= 2400 grams CO2e/liter
Two primary ways that humans impact the earth's energy balance:
1. Land use changes that impact average reflection/absorption
2. Increased GHG emissions
What is about 15 degrees celsius?
The average global temperature
About how much of the sun's energy is absorbed by the earth overall?
About 71%
Four things that impact the earth's energy balance, causing changes in climate:
1. Concentration of GHG
2. Reflection of the earth's surfaces
3. Earth's distance from the sun
4. The sun's energy output
About how much of the sun's energy is absorbed by the land?
About 48%
How does water vapor contribute to negative feedback?
Increasing water vapor in the atmosphere results in more clouds which reflect more of
the sun's energy, thus reducing global temperatures
How is water vapor seen as positive feedback?
Increasing global temperatures by trapping heat
Why is water vapor the most prevalent GHG?
It absorbs infrared radiation
What are the two ways changes in land use impact climate change?
1. Energy reflection or absorption
2. Increase in GHG emissions
Which is FALSE about the Milankovich Cycles:
1. Discovered around 1995
2. Are related to Earth's orbit
3. Occur in 100,000 year cycles
4. Responsible for some natural climate change
1. Were actually discovered around 1909
So if the past concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was about 280
ppm and the current concentration is about 400 ppm, what % increase in
concentration is this?
400-280 = 120 (this is the change)
The original concentration was 280 ppm so the % change is:
solution
Slow Carbon Cycle
Carbon moving through rocks, soil, the ocean, and the atmosphere over time
Fast Carbon Cycle
Carbon moving through life forms, i.e plants and animals
True/False: Clearing forests to plant agricultural crops results in an increase in
atmospheric carbon dioxide
True. There is a carbon equilibrium established with any land use.
Where are the 9 gigatons of added carbon (by humans) in the fast carbon cycle
going?
Two = taken up by oceans
Four = into the atmosphere
Three = plants, soils & other biomass
Algae and other plants play this role in the Carbon Cycle:
Carbon Sink
Term that describes how carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, pedosphere,
geosphere, hydrosphere and the atmosphere of Earth:
The Carbon Cycle
Term that describes the amount of carbon dioxide, or equivalent greenhouse gas,
caused by a person, organization, event or product:
Carbon Footprint
Term for Carbon created by human activity:
Anthropogenic Carbon
Of these three fossil fuels (natural gas, coal, petroleum), which contributes the
LEAST to U.S carbon emissions?
Coal
Of the four sectors for carbon dioxide emissions contributors in the U.S
(commercial, transportation, industrial, residential), which is the largest?
Transportation
Carbon dioxide accounts for ____% of U.S global warming potential
82%
An LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) provides:
Information to assess the environmental impact of a product of service.
Four potential users of LCAs:
Product Designers
Consumers
Academics
Marketers
Normalization in an LCA does what?
Helps put the results in perspective in order to compare with other impacts.
List the 5 stages of the LCA process map:
1. Material Extraction
2. Manufacturing the product
, 3. Packaging and Transportation (distribution)
4. Use
5. End of Life
It is estimated that there are about 20 lbs of CO2e per gallon of milk. In contrast,
Coke has a carbon footprint of about 250 g CO2e/liter (purchased in 2 liter plastic
bottles). What is milk's carbon footprint in g CO2e/liter?
The conversion:
20 lbs/gal x 1 gal/3.78 liters x 453 grams/lb
~~ 2110 grams/liter
= 2400 grams CO2e/liter
Two primary ways that humans impact the earth's energy balance:
1. Land use changes that impact average reflection/absorption
2. Increased GHG emissions
What is about 15 degrees celsius?
The average global temperature
About how much of the sun's energy is absorbed by the earth overall?
About 71%
Four things that impact the earth's energy balance, causing changes in climate:
1. Concentration of GHG
2. Reflection of the earth's surfaces
3. Earth's distance from the sun
4. The sun's energy output
About how much of the sun's energy is absorbed by the land?
About 48%
How does water vapor contribute to negative feedback?
Increasing water vapor in the atmosphere results in more clouds which reflect more of
the sun's energy, thus reducing global temperatures
How is water vapor seen as positive feedback?
Increasing global temperatures by trapping heat
Why is water vapor the most prevalent GHG?
It absorbs infrared radiation
What are the two ways changes in land use impact climate change?
1. Energy reflection or absorption
2. Increase in GHG emissions
Which is FALSE about the Milankovich Cycles:
1. Discovered around 1995
2. Are related to Earth's orbit
3. Occur in 100,000 year cycles
4. Responsible for some natural climate change
1. Were actually discovered around 1909
So if the past concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was about 280
ppm and the current concentration is about 400 ppm, what % increase in
concentration is this?
400-280 = 120 (this is the change)
The original concentration was 280 ppm so the % change is:
