Layers of the atmosphere
The layer of gas that surrounds the planet and protects us from solar radiation.
What is the atmosphere?
A highly corrosive mineral acid, that is a secondary pollutant and a major component of acid rain formed from nitrogen oxide and other chemicals.
What is nitric acid?
The contamination of the atmosphere by harmful chemicals.
What is air pollution?
The short term day to day changes within atmospheric conditions.
What is weather?
A process where harmful contaminants like particulate matter, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), radon, mold, and carbon monoxide build up inside buildings
What is Indoor Air Pollution
The region of the atmosphere closest to the Earth's surface. It extends up to 6 kilometers upwards
What is the Troposphere
A colorless, pungent gas that is a primary pollutant formed from fossil fuels containing sulfur
What is sulfur dioxide?
Harmful chemicals emitted into the atmosphere through a specific source like a factory or car exhaust
What is a primary pollutant.
The long term change in weather over a large place and a long period of time.
What is climate?
Toxic carbon-based chemicals that can easily evaporate into harmful gases at room temperature
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
The second layer of the atmosphere, above the Troposphere extending up 32 miles upwards
What is the Stratosphere
A highly corrosive, oily acid that is a secondary pollutant formed when sulfur dioxide reacts with chemicals in the atmosphere
What is Sulfuric acid?
A harmful chemicals combination formed when a primary pollutant reacts with the atmosphere
What is a secondary pollutant
an atmospheric condition where air layers are reversed and a layer of warm air goes above a layer of cold air near the ground, reversing the pattern in which temperature decreases with altitude
What is temperature inversion?
A landmark piece of legislation that allowed the EPA to regulate and enforce the quality standards of air all across the US
What is the Clean Air Act?
A layer within the stratosphere extending 18 miles upwards that absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun
What is the Ozone layer?
A process often called "acid rain" where atmospheric pollutants combine with water and other chemicals and falls to the ground as acid precipitation such as rain, or snow.
What is wet acid deposition?
A mixture of solid and liquid particles in the air and water that are small enough to stay in the air for a prolonged period of time, such as dust, smoke, and pollen
What is a a mix of solid particles and liquid droplets in the air or water that are small enough to float, such as dust, smoke, and pollen
the process responsible for thinning the ozone layer in the stratosphere due to human-made chemicals like CFCsbeing released into the atmosphere.
What is Ozone depletion?
A market-based system where the government issues a limit on total emissions and then allows companies to buy and sell allowances to emit specific amounts of a given pollutant.
What is Emissions Trading (cap and trade)
An area over Antarctica where Ozone levels were severely depleted allowing ultraviolet radiation to reach the earth. has been reducing in size, full recovery expected by the 2060s
What is the hole in the Ozone layer?
A process where acidic pollutants fall to the ground as dust, gases, and other fine particles, which are then washed away by rain
What is dry acid deposition.
A group of toxic compounds found in the atmosphere that are formed from the oxidation of volatile organic compounds and are a component of smog
What are Peroxyacyl Nitrates (PANs)?
A thick brown haze that forms as secondary pollutant when sunlight reacts with toxic chemicals like nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere.
Photochemical smog (brown-air smog)
A colorless, and radioactive gas that is a major air pollutant within buildings and basements resulting in increased risk of lung cancer
What is Radon?