Environmental Science and Organic Chemistry

Greenhouse Effect

• Gases contributing to the greenhouse effect primarily include carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor.
• The greenhouse effect intensifies due to increased emissions of these gases from various activities.
• The effect traps heat by reflecting sunlight between atmospheric gases, preventing its escape and raising global temperatures.

Carbon

• Three common forms of pure carbon are diamonds, graphite, and amorphous carbon.
• Diamonds feature tightly bonded carbon atoms, whereas graphite's carbon atoms form layered structures.
• Amorphous carbon, exemplified by charcoal, lacks a distinct atomic arrangement.

Organic Chemistry

• Saturated hydrocarbons are called alkanes.
• Unsaturated hydrocarbons with a double bond are alkenes.
• Unsaturated hydrocarbons with a triple bond are alkynes.
• Hydrocarbon names indicate the number of carbon atoms, with prefixes and suffixes depending on the bond type.

Nitrogen Cycle

• Nitrogen fixation occurs through processes creating nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia.
• Common nitrogen forms in the soil include ammonium and nitrate.
• Nitrification involves converting nitrogen into nitrate, and denitrification is the reverse.
• Assimilation represents plants absorbing ammonium or nitrate via roots.
• When living beings die, decomposers release nitrogen as ammonium, which plants absorb.
• Living organisms use nitrogen for DNA and protein synthesis.

Phosphorus Cycle

• Plants, animals, and decomposers obtain phosphorus from the soil.
• Living organisms require phosphorus for DNA, bones, and cell energy transfer.
• Runoff carries phosphorus into waterways, leading to sedimentation.
• Sedimentation occurs when phosphate settles on ocean floors, turning into rock.
• Weathering breaks down rocks, releasing phosphorus back into the soil.

Eutrophication

• Algae blooms result from excessive fertilizer runoff, providing nutrients for their overpopulation.
• An algae bloom essentially refers to an overabundance of algae, often forming dense growths on the water's surface.
• Algae blooms harm aquatic life by blocking sunlight, increasing water toxicity, and depleting oxygen levels due to decaying algae.
• Minimizing fertilizer use prevents excessive nutrient runoff, mitigating algae bloom risks.