Air Pollution Flashcards
What is produced when fossil fuels are burnt?
carbon dioxide + water as well as loads of energy
What happens with the products in incomplete combustion?
when the hydrocarbons aren’t burned completely pollutants can be released (carbon monoxide and particulates)
What are some examples of pollutants?
carbon monoxide, soot, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides
What are particulates?
solid particles of carbon (soot)
What are the problems with particulates?
if inhaled they can get stuck in our lungs and can damage them which may lead to respiratory problems. it can also produce smog which are dark clouds that reflect sunlight back into space (global dimming)
What are the problems with carbon monoxide?
if inhaled from the air it diffuses into our blood binding to our hemoglobin which means we can take less oxygen to transport around our body. it can lead to fainting, coma, death as our brain is starved from oxygen. it is also colourless and odorless so very hard to detect
How is sulfur dioxide made?
hydrocarbons contain impurities like sulfur which can oxidise into sulfur dioxide
How are nitrogen oxides made?
nitrogen and oxygen from the air react together at very high temperature
it doesn’t normally occur since we never reach these temperatures however in internal combustion engines of cars those temperatures are reached, therefore they can be produced there.
Why is sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide harmful to us?
if we breathe them in we can damage our lungs and cause respiratory problems
What is acid rain?
when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides mix with the clouds and it rains dilute sulfuric acid and dilute nitric acids
What are the effects of acid rain?
damages buildings, statues, corrodes metals, damages plants by making the soil acidic
