Air Pollution Flashcards
From the closest to the surface to the furthest away, what are the layers of the atmosphere?
Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere
What is the percentage breakdown of gasses in the atmosphere?
78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% argon
Which layer contains the ozone layer?
Stratosphere
Tropospheric ozone is a primary or secondary pollutant?
Secondary
What are the 7 major classes of air pollutants?
Particulate matter, NO2, SO2, methane and hydrocarbons, carbon oxides, tropospheric O3, and hazardous air pollutants (ex: Pb)
What color is NO2?
Red
What does NO2 contribute to?
Smog (photochemical), and acid precipitation
What produces NO2?
Exhaust, industry, electricity production
What produces sulfur dioxides?
Coal burning
What gas is the main component of natural gas?
Methane
When was lead phased out of gasoline?
1980s
What form of toxin is lead?
Neurotoxin
The majority of outdoor air pollution is from what sources?
Natural
What are some natural sources of outdoor air pollution?
Dust storms, volcanoes, fires
What volcano erupted in the Philippines in 1991, dropping global temperatures by .3 degrees C?
Mount Pinatubo
What is the leading source of human air pollutants?
Transportation
Gray air smog is also called
Industrial smog
Gray air/industrial smog contains
Soot, sulfur, CO, CO2 from industrial pollution and fossil fuel combustion
Photochemical smog is also called
Brown air smog
What conditions cause photochemical smog?
Hot sunny days in urban areas
What authorized the EPA to enforce limits on air pollutants?
The US Clean Energy Act (1970)
Do indoor or outdoor spaces have more pollution?
Indoor
What are the two main types of indoor air pollution?
Smoke and radon gas
