Air and Environment

Question 1

What is the composition of air?

Answer 1

Nitrogen 78%
Oxygen 21%
Noble gases, Carbon dioxide 1%

Question 2

is air an element, mixture or compound?

Answer 2

air is a mixture of elements and compounds

Question 3

How is Carbon monoxide produced?

Answer 3

incomplete combustion of carbon-containing fuels

e.g: like petrol in engines

Question 4

What is the effect of Carbon monoxide?

Answer 4

Carbon monoxide:

• diffuses into our blood and binds with haemoglobin
• less oxygen gets transported around the body.
• This leads to headaches, fatigue, or death

Question 5

How is Sulfur Dioxide produced?

Answer 5

• Volcanic eruptions.

OR

• sulfur containing fuels (like crude oil, petroleum), is burnt in motor vehicles. sulfur is converted to Sulfur dioxide.

sulfur + oxygen O2 > sulfur dioxide

Question 6

What is the effect of sulfur dioxide?

Answer 6

if got the word oxide or dioxide; will have these effects:

• respiratory problems and eye irritation
• acid rain will be formed when sulfur dissolves in rainwater to form Sulfuric acid.

Question 7

How is Oxides of Nitrogens formed?

Answer 7

• Lightning activity
  causes nitrogen and oxygen in air to form nitrogen oxides and dioxides
• Formed in high temperatures where nitrogen and oxygen react. For example, in a car engine where nitrogen combines with oxygen

Question 8

What is the effect of oxides of nitrogen?

Answer 8

if got the word oxide or dioxide; will have these effects:

• respiratory problems and eye irritation,
• Acid rain,
  react with water to form Nitric acid- Acid rain!
  nitrogen dioxide + water + oxygen > nitric acid

Question 9

What are the effects of acid rain?

Answer 9

• Corrodes buildings, when acid react with metals and metal carbonates of buildings
• Lowers the pH level of water bodies such as rivers and lakes causing fishes and other aquatic life to die
  .
• Leeches nutrients from the soil and causes plants to wither and die.