Table gives the mass of greenhouse gases released at each stage of the life cycle of two shopping bags. Bag Q is thrown away after one use. Bag P is used 20 times before it is thrown away. Which bag has the smaller carbon footprint for each use, and why?
Table: The mass of greenhouse gases released at each stage of the life cycle of two shopping bags
| Stage of the life cycle | Mass of greenhouse gases released by bag P (g) | Mass of greenhouse gases released by bag Q (g) |
|---|---|---|
| Making the bag | 60 | 12 |
| Transporting the bag | 5 | 3 |
| Disposing of the bag | 5 | 15 |
Bag Q, because its total for one life cycle is the smaller total
Bag P, because its total is shared between a larger number of uses
Bag P, because it releases the smaller mass of gas when it is made
Bag Q, because it releases the smaller mass of gas when it is made
40 exam-style questions on AQA GCSE Chemistry 9.2 Carbon dioxide and methane as greenhouse gases, covering 9.2.1 Greenhouse gases, 9.2.2 Human activities which contribute to an increase in greenhouse gases in the, 9.2.3 Global climate change, and 9.2.4 The carbon footprint and its reduction. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.