air pollution Flashcards
what is the atmosphere mostly comprised of?
Nitrogen (78.08%)
what does the atmosphere do?
Prevents UV radiation
redistributes water in hydrologic cycle
what are the 3 types of air tranport
global, regional, local
does air temperature increase or decrease with altitude?
decreases (the opposite of a fart)
what are primary air pollutants?
harmful substance emitted directly into the atmosphere
what are secondary pollutants?
harmful substance formed in the atmosphere reacts with a primary air pollutant
name 3 types of air pollutants
particulate material, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, carbon oxides, lead, ozone
what is a particulate material
thousands of different solid or liquid particles suspended in air
what are nitrogen oxides?
nitrogen + oxygen at high temperatures (greenhouse gases) - causes airway restriction
what are sulfur oxides?
sulfur + oxygen - can impair ability of lungs to exchange gases
what are carbon oxides?
carbon monoxide (can cause headaches and even death) + carbon dioxide
does lead contribute to the global environmental risk?
yes, 11%
what are the 2 types of ozone
tropospheric (man made) and stratospheric (screens UV radiation in upper atmosphere - can cause burning eyes, chest discomfort and coughing
what is photochemical smog?
brownish-orange haze formed by chemical reactions involving sunlight, nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbons
what is the main source of outdoor air pollution?
transport (57%)
what are emissions?
amount of pollutant a source puts into the air
how can we control air pollution?
smokestacks( cloud maker)
what caused the hole in the ozone layer?
bromine and chlorine containing chemicals (eg: chlorofluorocarbons)
what causes acid deposition? (ie: acid rain)
sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide react with water vapor in atmosphere which forms acid that returns to the earths surface
what are some effects of acid deposition?
declining aquatic animal populations, thin shelled eggs prevent bird reproduction, forest declination, damage to property
