Understand and outline the specific mechanism and reactions for the tropospheric
production of ozone.
Explain the sources and causes of ozone precursor emissions
Demonstrate an understanding of ozone control strategies and the tools
used to determine whether ozone formation in a region is VOC or NOx
limited.
Understand the relative reactivities of hydrocarbons in terms of their
ozone formation potential; outline the specific reactions involved for
a given hydrocarbon.
Describe the design of a three-way catalytic convertor; identify the pollutants
and reactions involved. Understand the tradeoffs necessary in optimizing
performance with regard to ozone formation. Be familiar with the specific
catalysts used.
Outline the multistep mechanism for the oxidation of methane to carbon
dioxide. Understand each of the reactions involved, the rate-limiting
step and the stable molecules formed during the oxidation process.
Understand the role of the hydroxyl radical in tropospheric chemistry,
how it is formed, how it reacts, and what its sinks are.
For a given reaction, use bond energy tables to estimate whether it is
endothermic or exothermic; relate this result to the expected rate of the
reaction for atmospheric reactions that involve free radicals. Use energy
level diagrams and an understanding of chemical kinetics to support this
rationale.
Outline the multistep mechanism for the complete oxidation of doubly bonded
carbon compounds to carbon dioxide. Understand each of the reactions
involved.
Understand the roles of nitrous acid and nitrogen trioxide in the formation
of tropospheric ozone.
Oxidant Formation in
the Troposphere
Understand the basis for ozone's toxicity; be able to describe how anthropogenic
pollutants affect ozone levels in the troposphere and stratosphere.
Be able to explain the NO switch mechanism in terms of the set of reactions
that govern whether NO limits or increases ozone production.
Identify the major oxidants present during episodes of photochemical smog;
understand how they are formed.
Write chemical equations for the production and photodecomposition of ozone.
Apply the steady-state approximation to develop a formula for the concentration
of atomic oxygen in terms of rate constants, O2 and O3
concentrations. Use this to explain the relative abundance of atomic
oxygen in the lower two layers of the atmosphere.
Understand the product and reactant energetics related to the photodecomposition
of ozone and to the formation of the hydroxyl radical from atomic oxygen
and water.
Outline what is meant mathematically by the "lifetime," t,
of a species; for photolysis, first, second, and third order reactions,
show how lifetimes are related to rate constants and reactant concentrations.
For species that can decompose through several mechanisms, show how the
overall lifetime is related to mechanism-specific lifetimes.
Relate the ozone concentration changes occurring over recent decades in
the stratosphere to the expected effect these changes have on oxidants
in the troposphere. Support your prediction.
Discuss the major biogenic reactive organic emissions in our region of
the country.
Chemistry of the Ozone Layer
Understand the wavelengths associated with UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C regions
of the spectrum. Discuss the transparency of the atmosphere in each
of these spectral regions; identify the major atmospheric components responsible
for any absorptions that occur. Discuss which of these regions have
the greatest adverse impact on human health.
Discuss the adverse human consequences concerning ozone concentration changes
in the earth's stratosphere.
Explain how atmospheric temperature changes with altitude for the troposphere
and stratosphere. Outline the reactions that cause the temperature changes
with altitude that are observed in the stratosphere.
Compare the degree of air mixing that occurs in the troposphere and stratosphere.
Explain why this occurs.
Understand how ozone concentration varies with altitude; explain using
chemical reaction rates why this pattern of ozone variation occurs.
Outline the set of Chapman reactions that are involved with the production
and destruction of ozone in the stratosphere.
Discuss the mechanism involved with the noncatalytic and catalytic destruction
of ozone.
Discuss the work published by Roland and Molina during the early 1970's
concerning stratospheric ozone. Outline the set of reactions that
explained and that formed the basis for their concern.
During the late 1970's, there was a great deal of concern about the effect
of supersonic transport planes on stratospheric ozone concentrations.
Understand how the pollutant of concern is generated as well as the mechanism
through which it could have affected stratospheric ozone levels.
Explain whether this is still a concern today.
Understand and explain why a depletion of stratospheric ozone occurs during
early spring over the South Pole. Predict how a mild winter over
Antarctica would be expected to affect this phenomenon. Explain how
the ozone concentration returns to normal levels in late spring.
Understand why HCFC's are being used to replace CFC's. Use key reactions
to explain why they are much less effective in depleting stratospheric
ozone.
Explain why fluorine radicals are not of concern for stratospheric ozone
depletion.
Discuss the forms of inactive chlorine in the stratosphere.
Heterogeneous
Chemistry in the Stratosphere
Discuss the three types of aerosols found in the stratosphere; identify
the composition of these, where these are found, and the conditions required
for them to form.
Outline the key reactions that occur at the surface or within stratospheric
aerosols. Understand and explain the effect of temperature on these.
Relate the volcano explosions that occurred during the early 1990's to
the stratospheric heterogeneous chemistry that occurred over the next several
years.
Understand what is meant by the reaction probability factor, g,
that is used to characterize the reactivity of aerosol surfaces.
For stratospheric sulfate aerosols, relate g
to acidity and temperature; for PSC's relate g
to temperature for the reactions important in stratospheric ozone depletion.
Outline the two major roles that stratospheric aerosols have on stratospheric
ozone depletion.
Stratospheric
Chemistry: Perspectives in Environmental Chemistry
Explain why the Chapman mechanism does not correctly predict stratospheric
ozone concentrations.
Compare the density of stratospheric ozone at different latitudes.
Explain why this occurs
Photolysis rate constants can be theoretically calculated by considering
a number of factors. Outline the factors which are use to predict
photolysis rate constants.
Compare the composition of the stratosphere with the composition of the
troposphere to include organic compounds, oxygen, and water. Explain
the basis for the differences.
The Solid-Water
Interface in Natural Systems
Outline the ways in which adsorption at the solid-water interface affects
the interaction that occurs at the interface.
Describe the active sites found on the surface of minerals and the functionalities
involved at these; discuss the types of reactions--acid-base, metal binding,
ligand-exchange, and ternary surface complex formation--that occur at these
sites.
Explain how pH affects the adsorption of metal ions; explain why this occurs.
Outline the effect of pH on anion adsorption onto active sites; explain
the basis for this trend.
Explain how biological surfaces interact with metal ions in water.
Outline the mechanism through which acidic water dissolves (chemically
weathers) an aluminosilicate mineral.
Relate the processes that occur at the solid-water interface to global
changes that occur.
Relate the concentration of nutrients with distance from the ocean's surface.
Acid Rain
Outline the series of reactions involved in sulfuric acid rain. Do
the same for nitric acid.
Outline the mechanism for homogeneous oxidation of sulfur dioxide; compare
this with aqueous phase oxidation of SO2.
Relate atmospheric CO2 levels with rainfall acidity. Outline
the reactions that occur between aqueous and gas phase as well as the aqueous
phase equilibria.
Discuss how sulfur dioxide emissions are reduced to include lime scrubbers,
pyritic sulfur, and selective catalytic reduction.
Role
of Tropospheric Aerosols in Atmospheric Chemistry
Compare aerosols in the stratosphere with aerosols in the troposphere.
Describe the planetary boundary layer and the free troposphere.
Compare marine with continental aerosols with arctic aerosols with free
tropospheric aerosols.
Describe cloud condensation nuclei and the original particles they are
normally formed from.
Outline the sulfur tropospheric aerosol cycle and identify the changes
in chemical and physical properties that occur at different stages of the
process.
Explain why ship and airplane tracks can be seen.
Atmosphere-Water-Rock
Interactions in Alpine Lakes
Identify the major atmospheric inputs into alpine lakes and the major source
of each of these inputs.
Compare the relative magnitudes of the spatial distributions of sulfur
oxides and nitrogen oxides; explain why this difference occurs.
Relate the role of pH on metal ion concentrations in alpine lakes.
Explain why.
Outline the role of biological activity in determining free metal concentrations.
As acidic protons are neutralized in alpine lakes, discuss what are being
produced in the process.
Outline the two step process and the relative speed for each step in the
dissolution of aluminosilicates in acidic waters.
For the weathering of carbonate and silicate minerals, discuss whether
there is a net change expected in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.
Discuss the primary source and the primary sink for heavy metals in alpine
lakes. Relate the eutropic characteristics of a lake to expected
metal ion concentrations.
The Greenhouse Effect
and Global Warming
Describe the natural and enhanced greenhouse effects. Identify the two
and three more important substances for each of these respectively and
describe their infrared absorption features.
Describe what is meant by thermal radiation and identify the two properties
of thermal radiation that change with temperature.
Identify the important molecular properties that govern the selection rules
for absorption of infrared and microwave radiation respectively..
Explain how and why ocean levels are expected to be affected by global
warming.
Discuss the Kyoto protocol, the key provisions in it, and the progress
being made by the United States in reaching the protocol objectives.
Why Carbon
Dioxide from Fossil Fuel Burning Won't Go Away
As the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases,
discuss the two primary ocean sinks and the important reactions involved.
Explain how an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide can affect the solubility
of sea shells.
Outline the role of biological organisms in governing the level of atmospheric
carbon dioxide.
Discuss the concentration of nutrients in the ocean as a function of depth.
Outline how carbon is moved to ocean depths by living organisms.
Discuss the major and minor reservoirs of carbon on earth. Outline
the importance of fossil fuel combustion on atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Describe expectations in this area over the next century.
Outline the series of equilibria in which carbon is accumulated or dispensed
from its two major reservoirs.
Metal-Phytoplankton
Interactions in Marine Systems
Toxic Heavy Metals
Environmental Chemistry
of Metals
Passive Bioremediation of
Metals
Toxic Organic Chemicals
Photolysis of Organics
in the Environment
Metal-Catalyzed
Hydrolysis of Organics in Aquatic Environments
Overview of Environmental
Colloids
The
Chemistry and Geochemistry of Natural Organic Matter
The Chemistry of Natural
Waters
Assessing
the Dynamics of Organic Contaminants in Natural Waters
Microbiologically
Mediated Reactions in Aquatic Systems