Atmosphere
The two main gases that make up the atmosphere.
A pollutant emitted directly from the source.
What is a primary pollutant?
This greenhouse gas has seen a steady increase in the atmosphere since the 1950s largely due to human activity
What is carbon dioxide?
This natural substance is represented by the following chemical equation: 3O2 + UV <--> 2O3
Ozone
This legislation set national air quality, auto emission, and anti-pollution standards in 1971.
What is the Clean Air Act?
The atmospheric layer where we exist.
What is the troposphere?
This type of pollutant is typically measured by particle size.
What is particulate matter?
Reddish, brown smelly gas that reacts with water vapor to form acid rain.
What is nitrogen dioxide?
The ozone layer blocks the majority of this type of radiation.
What is UV?
This legislation was part of the Clean Air Act and set concentration limits for air pollutants.
What are the NAAQS?
This measures outdoor air quality by tracking 5 common pollutants.
What is the Air Quality Index?
One example of a source of particulate matter.
What is aerosol, coal, dust, heavy metal, or asbestos?
These react with VOCs to form smog.
What are nitrogen dioxides?
UV-B can cause this type of severe skin cancer.
What is melanoma?
This heavy metal was phased out of use in gasoline & paint.
What is lead?
This layer of the atmosphere contains the ozone layer.
What is the stratosphere?
Colorless, odorless gas formed from incomplete combustion of fuel in vehicles.
What is carbon monoxide?
This VOC is 25 times stronger at absorbing heat than carbon dioxide.
What is methane?
These chemicals were used in refrigerants and aerosol propellants; and were found to have created a hole in the ozone layer.
What are CFCs?
This device contains a catalyst that breaks apart harmful pollutants in a vehicle’s exhaust.
What is a catalytic converter?
This effect helps keep Earth’s atmosphere warm and livable.
What is the greenhouse effect?
Examples include methane, gasoline, benzene, etc.
What are VOCs?
This compound can be emitted naturally from volcanoes but is often emitted from the production of coal and other sulfide ores.
What is sulfur dioxide?
This harmful mixture of ozone & particulate matter is formed by the completion of the following chemical equation: NOx + VOCs + heat + sunlight ---> PM + O3
What is smog?
In 1987, this global agreement banned the use of ozone depleting substances.
What is the Montreal Protocol?