Acid Rain
Out of an urban area, a suburban area, and a rural area, photochemical smog is more likely to be found in this area.
What is an urban area?
Gasoline-powered cars and trucks.
Which group of vehicles contributes most to photochemical smog in cities?
This is a weak acid. It forms when carbon dioxide is dissolved in water.
What is carbonic acid?
CO2 + H2O = H2CO3
The layers of air temperature based on thermal inversion starting with the surface.
What is cooler air, warmer air, cooler air layers?
The geological process of particulates and CO2 are from these.
What are Volcanic eruptions?
These are ways to mitigate acid rain production.
What is reducing sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides through clear energy sources and stricter regulations?
This is a way for Photochemical smog to be “controlled”.
What is the process of enabling strict regulations, electric vehicles, mass transits (i.e., metro rail subs), and utilizing alternate energy?
DAILY DOUBLE: Dust storms, volcanic eruptions, and smoke/ash from wildfires.
What are natural sources of particulate matter?
The role temperature inversion plays in the atmosphere.
What is the process involving a layer of warm air trapping cooler air at the surface, preventing it from rising and dispersing pollutants?
This nitrogen-based compound, also released by vehicle engines, contributes to the formation of nitric acid in acid rain.
What are nitrogen oxides?
Acidic pollutants can reach Earth’s surface through these two types of deposition.
What are wet and dry deposition?
This secondary pollutant forms when sunlight reacts with nitric oxides and volatile organic compounds, leading to smog.
What is ozone (O3)?
The process in which liquid CO2 does not form because the dry ice doesn't melt into a liquid form. Instead, it goes directly from a solid state to a gaseous state.
What is sublimation?
These are cloudless nights with no wind or clouds cooling the surface.
What is surface or radiation inversion?
This national agreement helped reduce acid rain in North America by limiting sulfur emissions from power plants.
What is the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990?
This pH level range (of water) is critical to the survival of most aquacultural species.
What is a pH level range between 6.0 and 8.5?
Nitrogen dioxide, ozone, peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN), and volatile organic compounds containing the aldehyde group.
What are the components of photochemical smog?
This agricultural practice is a major source of both methane and CO2, contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emissions.
What is livestock farming?
This major city in America, surrounded by mountains, has experienced severe air pollution due to thermal inversion trapping pollutants close to the surface. Its geography keeps the spreading of smog, leading to hazardous air quality.
What is Los Angeles?
Natural sources of particulate matter include these.
What is (Pollen, Dust, Dust mites, Bacteria, Dust, Airborne soil, sea salt, volcanic eruptions, wildfire smoke/ash, or spores)?
The Clean Air Act Amendments (1990).
What national agreement helped reduce acid rain (most notably air pollution) in North America?
Photochemical smog is formed when this type of light from the sun reacts with nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds.
What is Ultraviolet (UV) light?
This is the particle size that is more likely to travel deep into the lungs due to smaller size. It is associated with chronic bronchitis and increased risk of lung cancer.
What is PM 2.5 (particulate matter <2.5 micrometers)?
These are four kinds of inversions.
What is ground, turbulence, subsidence, and frontal?
DAILY DOUBLE: The effects of particulate matter in the atmosphere when absorbing or scattering sunlight.
What is haze (reducing light that reaches the surface of the earth)?