Causes of Air Pollution
An atmospheric condition that traps airborne pollutants near the surface of the earth and prevents them from dispersing.
Temperature Inversion
A pollutant formed as a result of chemical reactions in the atmosphere.
Secondary Pollutant
Involved in the formation of smog.
Ozone
Organic chemicals that vaporize readily.
Can lead to difficulty breathing and heart failure.
Asbestos
Can lead to allergic reactions to fungi and mold.
Sick-building Syndrome
Rain, snow, or sleet that has reacted with sulfur or nitrogen oxides.
Acid Precipitation
Works by dissolving pollutants in water.
Scrubber
Works by giving dust particles an electric charge.
Electrostatic Precipitator
A pollutant released into the air by human activity.
Primary Pollutant
All of the following are primary pollutants except
A. Carbon Monoxide
B. Nitric Acid
C. Sulfur Oxides
D. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC's)
B: Nitric Acid
Temperature inversions work to trap pollution when
A. Cool air above keeps warmer air at the surface from moving upward.
B. Cool air above keeps warmer air at the surface from absorbing solar radiation.
C. Warm air above keeps cooler air at the surface from absorbing solar radiation.
D. Warm air above keeps cooler air at the surface from moving upward.
D: Warm air above keeps cooler air at the surface from moving upward.
The following ailments are long-term effects of air pollution except
A. Emphysema
B. Lung Cancer
C. Headaches
D. Heart Disease
C: Headaches
Acid shock can be treated by
A. Decreasing the pH of the affected water to 2.0
B. Pouring sulfuric acid into the affected water
C. Adding powdered aluminum to the effected water
D. Adding powdered lime to the affected water
D: Adding powdered lime to the affected water
What pollutant forms when automobile emissions react with oxygen gas and ultraviolet rays?
A. Ozone
B. Carbon Dioxide
C. Radon
D. Sulfur Dioxide
A: Ozone
Which of the following is often used to remove poisonous gases from the industrial emissions before they are released into the atmosphere?
A. Catalytic Converters
B. Scrubbers
C. Ventilation
D. Crushed Limestone
B: Scrubbers
What contributes most to acid precipitation?
A. Burning of fossil fuels
B. Formaldehyde
C. Radon
D. All of the Above
A: Burning of fossil fuels
Which type of building would most likely have poor indoor air quality?
A. One in a cool climate with a good ventilation system
B. One in an urban area where windows are often open
C. One that is tightly sealed and air-conditioned
D. One that has not been repainted or recarpeted in several years
C: One that is tightly sealed and air-conditioned
As a lake becomes more acidic, fish are harmed not only by the acidity, but also by substances that leach (leak) out of the soil into the water. Which of these toxic substances are leached when conditions are acidic?
A. Copper
B. Iron
C. Calcium
D. Aluminum
D: Aluminum
Most of the pollution that causes acid precipitation to fall in southeastern Canada is released from
A. Mexico
B. Central Canada
C. The Midwestern and Eastern United States
D. The Southern United States
C: The Midwestern and Eastern United States
Explain why areas that are densely populated and highly industrialized can experience acid precipitation with particularly low pH values.
The lower the pH value, the more acidic the precipitation. Sulfur dioxide and nitric oxide are released into the air when fossil fuels are burned. These compounds produce sulfuric acid and nitric when combined with rainwater. Thus areas that are densely populated (more cars) and heavily industrialized will release more sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide into the air, lowering the pH of the acid precipitation.
Name and describe three effects of air pollution on human health.
1. Chronic bronchitis: inflammation of the bronchial linings
2. Asthma: bronchial passages constrict and become blocked with mucus.
3. Emphysema: the loss of elasticity in the lung's air sacs.
Describe two atmospheric conditions that make air pollution worse.
1. Thermal Inversion: occurs when warm air in the atmosphere traps cooler, polluted air beneath it.
2. Trapping of polluted air in valleys: The polluted air does not blow away because it is trapped between hills or mountains.
What steps have been taken by the Environmental Protection Agency, The state of California, and the automobile industry to reduce the amount of air pollution from vehicles?
The EPA has required the reduction of lead in gasoline, which has lowered lead pollution by 50 percent. Installing catalytic converters has reduced the amount of pollutants from tailpipe exhaust. Auto manufacturers are building prototype cars that produce fewer emissions (such as hybrids) or no emissions.
How is mass transit in cities a possible solution to air pollution?
Mass transit reduces reduces the amount of fuel burned per passenger which in turn reduces the amount of pollutants released into the air making the air in urban areas cleaner.