Air Quality and Pollution Flashcards
A human breathes an average of how much air per day
35 lbs per day
Atmosphere composition 78% - 21% - 0.97% - 0.03% -
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Ozone (O3) and CO2
Other Gases
Is there earth an open or closed system
A closed system. Very little outside elements exit or enter the atmosphere.
The only major force that enters the earth’s atmosphere is
Sunlight
Is most air pollution man made or natural?
Man made. Some natural pollution occurs such as pollen pollution.
What is the greenhouse effect
AKA Global Warming.
Occurs when there is no longer an equilibrium between the amount of CO2 in the ocean and in the atmosphere.
When there is more CO2 in the atmosphere than in the ocean. More CO2 in the atmosphere draws in more sunlight to the atmosphere and it gets trapped.
Where is the ozone layer?
What is the benefit of the ozone layer?
Ozone lies high in the earths atmosphere.
It helps deflect away the majority of the sun’s harmful rays.
What are fluorocarbons and what are their effect on the atmosphere
Gases prevalent in refrigerants, aerosol cans etc.
They can accumulate and deplete the ozone layer thus allowing more harmful energy from the sun into the atmosphere.
What is the real danger of the greenhouse effect
The melting of polar ice caps. The world could end up totally submersed with 20 feet of water.
99% of the earths atmosphere is within what distance?
Within 20 miles
What are the layers of the atmosphere and their altitudes
TMST Thermosphere > 50miles/80 km Mesopause Mesosphere > 30miles/50 km Stratopause Stratosphere > 12 miles/20 km Tropopause Troposphere
Low pressure system
Air currents move counter clockwise.
Air rises up and cools.
Usually results in precipitation or cloudy day.
“cyclonic condition”
High pressure system
Air mass moves clockwise, anticyclonic condition
Sunny, clear days
What is a thermal inversion and what are the three types
When a layer of warm air settles over a layer of cooler air that lies near the ground. The warm air holds down the cool air and prevents pollutants from rising and scattering.
Valley inversion
Radiation Inversion
Subsidence Inversion (Los Angeles)
Smog
Fog or haze combined with smoke and other atmospheric pollutants
Photochemical Smog
Type of smog found in LA from auto and industrial emissions which result in high emissions of nitrogen oxides.
NO combine with O2 and UV light to form NO2
Brown haze
How is ozone created
(O3) is created naturally by lightning storms and artificially by the photochemical smog.
Can cause shortness of breath, and aging effects
What are some of the by products of photochemical smog
ozone, nitrous oxide, PAN, oxygen and nitrogen oxides
Sulfur oxides and acid rain
Formed from burning sulfur latent coal.
Can form “acid rain” when sulfur oxides combines with moisture to form Sulfuric Acid H2SO4
Hazards of nitrogen oxides
nitrogen dioxide is more toxic than nitric oxide.
They are respiratory irritants and can cause pulmonary edema and death.
What is a PAN
Peroxyacetetyl nitrite is a form of air pollution from the photochemical smog. It causes eye irritation.
Air pollution can cause or worsen some of the following diseases
chronic bronchitis
emphysema
lung cancer
What can plants tell us about air pollution
Can tell us the type of pollutants in the environment. Air pollution can be detrimental to plants and leave distinctive markings characteristic of the particular pollutant
How can water heaters contribute to pollution
They can increase nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide.
Check for tight fitting vent system, pressure relief valve, proper strapping, carbon buildup
