Air and Atmosphere Flashcards
What is the source of carbon monoxide?
Incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons
What are the harmful effects of carbon monoxide?
Reduces the ability of red blood cells to transport oxygen -> breathing difficulties, fatigue/brain damage
What are the preventive measures to reduce carbon monoxide?
Catalytic converter
What are the sources of sulfur dioxide?
Combustion of fossil fuels
Volcano activities
What are the harmful effects of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides?
Breathing difficulties, lung inflammation, eye irritation, formation of acid rain
What are the preventive measures to reduce sulfur dioxide?
Flue gas desulfurisation
What are the sources of nitrogen oxides?
Reaction with oxygen in car engines
Lightning
What are the preventive measures to reduce nitrogen oxides?
Catalytic converter
What are the sources of methane?
Decay of dead matter, wetlands and marshes, agriculture
What are the harmful effects of methane?
Contributes to global warming
What are the preventive measures to reduce methane?
Reduce the emission of volatile organic compounds
What are the sources of unburned hydrocarbons?
Internal combustion engines of vehicles
What are the harmful effects oof unburned hydrocarbons?
Formation of components in photochemical smog
What are the preventive measures to reduce unburned hydrocarbons?
Catalytic converters
What are the sources of ozone?
Reaction of nitrogen oxides and unburned hydrocarbons in the presence of sunlight
What are the harmful effects of ozone?
Irritation to the respiratory system -> breathing difficulties, headache, fatigue
What are the preventive measures of reducing ozone?
Reduce emission of nitrogen oxides
How is acid rain formed?
Sulfur dioxide dissolves in water, forming sulfuric acid.
Nitrogen dioxide dissolves in water, forming nitric acid.
What are the harmful effects of photochemical smog?
It reduces visibility, causes eye irritation and breathing difficulties.
What are the harmful effects of acid rain?
Corrosion of structures, lowers pH of water bodies, promotes leeching of nutrients from the soil
What is a catalytic converter?
Converts harmful air pollutants into harmless substances.
