CSS General Science and Ability Environmental Science Syllabus

Environmental Science syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Environmental Science in CSS General Science and Ability, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Components of the Environment

   3 topics

   • Atmosphere
   • Hydrosphere
   • Biosphere and Lithosphere
2. 2

   Atmospheric Pollution

   3 topics

   • Air Pollutants
   • Regional and Global Issues
   • International Agreements
3. 3

   Water and Land Pollution

   3 topics

   • Water Pollutants and Sources
   • Drinking Water Quality and Standards
   • Solid Waste Management and Disposal
4. 4

   Environmental Technology

   2 topics

   • Remote Sensing
   • Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
5. 5

   Population and Resources

   2 topics

   • Population Planning
   • Sustainable Development

Environmental Science flashcards for CSS General Science and Ability

22 of 51 cards from the Environmental Science deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What are the four main layers of the atmosphere in order from the surface upward?

   Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, and Thermosphere (followed by the Exosphere).

2. Which atmospheric layer contains the ozone layer and why is it important?

   The Stratosphere; its ozone layer absorbs harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Sun, protecting life on Earth.

3. What is the approximate composition of dry air in the atmosphere by volume?

   About 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.93% argon, and 0.04% carbon dioxide, plus trace gases.

4. In which atmospheric layer does almost all weather occur, and what happens to temperature with altitude there?

   The Troposphere; temperature decreases with increasing altitude.

5. What is the hydrosphere?

   The hydrosphere is all the water on, under, and above Earth's surface, including oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, groundwater, ice, and water vapor.

6. Approximately what percentage of Earth's water is freshwater, and how much of that is readily accessible?

   About 2.5% of Earth's water is freshwater; most is locked in glaciers/ice caps and groundwater, leaving less than 1% easily accessible in lakes and rivers.

7. Define the lithosphere.

   The lithosphere is the rigid outer shell of the Earth, comprising the crust and the uppermost (solid) part of the mantle.

8. What is the biosphere?

   The biosphere is the zone of Earth where life exists, encompassing all living organisms and their interactions with the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere.

9. What is the difference between primary and secondary air pollutants?

   Primary pollutants are emitted directly from a source (e.g., CO, SO2, NOx, particulate matter); secondary pollutants form in the atmosphere from reactions of primary pollutants (e.g., ozone, PAN, acid rain).

10. Name the major criteria air pollutants.

    Carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM10/PM2.5), ground-level ozone (O3), and lead (Pb).

11. What causes photochemical smog and what is its key secondary pollutant?

    Photochemical smog forms when sunlight reacts with NOx and volatile organic compounds (VOCs); its key secondary pollutant is ground-level ozone (along with PAN).

12. What are the main gases responsible for acid rain, and what do they form?

    Sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx); they react with water vapor to form sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and nitric acid (HNO3), lowering rain pH below 5.6.

13. Which gas is primarily responsible for ozone-layer depletion, and from what source?

    Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs); chlorine released from CFCs by UV light catalytically destroys stratospheric ozone.

14. List the major greenhouse gases.

    Carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), water vapor, ozone (O3), and fluorinated gases such as CFCs and HFCs.

15. What is the greenhouse effect?

    The greenhouse effect is the trapping of outgoing infrared (heat) radiation by atmospheric greenhouse gases, warming the Earth's surface.

16. Distinguish between weather and climate.

    Weather is the short-term state of the atmosphere at a specific time and place; climate is the long-term average of weather conditions over decades (typically 30+ years).

17. What is eutrophication?

    Eutrophication is the excessive enrichment of a water body with nutrients (especially nitrogen and phosphorus), causing algal blooms, oxygen depletion, and death of aquatic life.

18. What is the Montreal Protocol (1987) about?

    The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty to phase out the production and use of ozone-depleting substances such as CFCs and halons to protect the ozone layer.

19. What is the Kyoto Protocol (1997)?

    The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement under the UNFCCC that set binding targets for developed countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

20. What is the Paris Agreement (2015) and its key temperature goal?

    The Paris Agreement is a global climate accord under the UNFCCC aiming to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

21. What does the Kigali Amendment (2016) to the Montreal Protocol address?

    The Kigali Amendment phases down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), powerful greenhouse gases used as substitutes for CFCs.

22. What is the focus of the Basel Convention (1989)?

    The Basel Convention controls the transboundary movement of hazardous wastes and their disposal, especially from developed to developing countries.

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