Part 1-Environmental threats 1. Climate change: Definition: Significant change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods.

Problems: -Changing landscapes EG. shifting seasons, rising temperatures, rising sea levels, melting of ice, etc. -Destruction of ecosystems Types of Climate Change: 1. Natural Climate Change: Climate changes that occur due to natural reasons. EG. The natural eruption of a volcano causes climate change 2. Human-Induced Climate Change: Climate change occurring because of human activity. EG. Releasing of greenhouse gases from factories. 2. Water pollution: Definition: The polluting of water through directly or indirectly discharging harmful compounds into water bodies. Problems: -Disruption of food-chains: When harmful compounds are released into the ocean, tiny organisms that are in the bottom of the food-chain consume them. The contaminated organisms will then get eaten by their predator, and organisms on each level of the food-chain will get contaminated with the harmful chemicals. -Death of aquatic animals: Pollutants can kill aquatic animals, including crabs, fish, and birds. -Diseases: Humans can get diseases such as hepatitis from eating contaminated seafood.

Types of Water Pollution:

1. Nutrients Pollution: Sewage, fertilizers, and wastewaters that are carelessly dumped into the sea may contain high amounts of nutrients. These nutrients encourage algae and weeds to grow in the water, causing many problems. The water becomes undrinkable, and oxygen levels in the water will be depleted as a result of the influx of algae and weeds, which use up a lot of the oxygen. Hence, other organisms in the water will die from the lack of oxygen. 2. Suspended Matter: Some water pollutants are not easily dissolved in water, and will simply be suspended in the water. These pollutants can harm and even kill aquatic life. 3. Oil Spillage: Oil spillages are extremely dangerous, as they can spread for miles. The oil will disrupt the ecosystems, killing fish and making the feathers of birds to become sticky, thus causing them to lose the ability to fly. 3. Toxins in Food & Soil: Description: The contamination of food and soil by harmful chemicals.
Can cause acute and chronic health effects Toxins accumulate in animals high up in the food chain and especially marine mammals Main reason why soil becomes contaminated is due to presence of man made waste Our waste products are full of chemicals that lead to soil pollution Industrial activity - most industries are dependent on extracting minerals from Earth, industrial waste lingers in the soil surface for a long time Waste disposal - humans produces a certain amount of personal waste products by urinating or pooping Oil leaks - storage and transport of chemicals Acid rain - pollutants present in the air mixes up with rain and fall onto the ground Effects health of humans and animals - can affect genetic make-up Effect on growth of plants, decreased soil fertility, toxic dust, changes in soil structure

4. Depleting ozone layer: Definition: The steady decline of the ozone layer. The ozone layer is responsible for filtering out potentially harmful UV rays from the earth. Problems:

-Harm to human health caused by increased amount of UV rays, including: -Skin cancer -Sunburns -Aging skin -Weakening in the human immune system -Impacts on natural ecosystems -Major crop species are vulnerable to increased UV, resulting in reduced photosynthesis and growth. -Disruption of food-chains: plankton are sensitive to increased UV rays. Planktons are the beginning of the aquatic food-chain. 5. Air pollution: Definition: The pollution of the air by harmful compounds introduced into the air in a way that is harmful towards the environment and the ecosystems. Problems: -Respiratory diseases like Asthma -Cancer Types of Air Pollution: 1. Acidification: acidic compounds can be formed from chemical reactions involving air pollutants. The acidic compound will then be combined with water droplets, and acid rain is formed. Acid rain can kill trees and harm animals. 2. Ground-level Ozone: Chemical reactions between air pollutants can create the poisonous gas ozone. Ozone can cause human health issues, including respiratory diseases and inflammation of airways. 3. Eutrophication:

Rain can carry and deposit nitrogen from pollutants on rivers and soils. This will cause algae growth in lakes and water bodies, disrupting the ecosystem and harm other living organisms.

Part 2- Research reactions that contribute to these environmental threats:

Climate Change: a. Combustion of methane to form carbon dioxide and water b. CH4 (g) + 2O2 (g) CO2 (g) + 2H2O (l) c. It is not a redox reaction The is no transfer of electrons in this reaction d. 4H- (g) + 2O-2 (g) 2H2O (l) e. Characteristics of the reactants: colorless, odorless gas Characteristics of the products: liquid

Water Pollution: a) The formation of acid rain as SO2 from power station falling from as acid in Scandinavia b) H2O + SO2 ---> H2SO3 c) Acid base reaction

Depletion of Ozone Layer:

a) Gas Phase reaction. The chlorine atom changes an ozone molecule to ordinary oxygen

b) Cl + O3 ClO + O2

Air Pollution:

Part 3: