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Week 8 Application exercise

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Qn. The concerns of acid rain vary across the globe. What are the issues in Canada? Does the acid deposition occur outside the borders of Canada?

Ans. In Canada, acid rain has depleted calcium levels in lakes. This change in calcium concentrations has caused a shift in th ecological balance. Faced with this selection pressure, a species of plankton which requires less calcium to thrive than a competing species of plankton to gain a survival advantage and thrive. This plankton is thick and jelly like, which means that pipes used to extract water from the lake for drinking purposes get clogged more easily. Also the ecosystem may be further upset.

As for the source of said acid rain, “Between 50% and 70% of Canada’s acid rain comes from the United States, while only 2-10% of America’s pollution in this area comes from Canada.”

 

Sources:

http://www.citylab.com/weather/2014/11/acid-rain-has-turned-canadian-lakes-into-a-kind-of-jelly/382922/

http://www.nature.com/news/2005/050810/full/news050808-10.html

Homework

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IMG_7647

 

Qn 1: The atmosphere retains much of the energy radiated by the surface. This is known as the greenhouse effect.

Qn 2: No, it is not justified. It does not mean that when during winter, there is snow and it is cold, the earth is getting cooler. It is a difference between weather and climate.

Qn 3: By using the specific wavelength that triggers the rotation of water of water molecules, the microwaves would be be absorbed by clouds since clouds are primarily composed of water. As a result, the microwaves would not be able to pass though clouds and planes could evade detection by flying through clouds. Also, water molecules in the atmosphere would scatter the microwaves making it less effective.

Qn 4: In the short run, air quality will pose the most serious problem since most of the effects of air pollution are immediate, such as asthma and pneumonia. Global warming is more serious in the long run as the effects take several decades to manifest. However, its effects such as rising sea levels, are catastrophic and should be taken seriously. Ozone depletion is the least significant since its effects are confined to less populated areas and the ozone hole is recovering.