Ch.12 Key Terms

Question 1

air pollution

Answer 1

the presence in or introduction into the air of a substance which has harmful or poisonous effects.

Question 2

primary pollutant

Answer 2

air pollution coming from a source

Question 3

secondary pollutant

Answer 3

not directly emitted ,but react in the atmosphere

Question 4

smog

Answer 4

an air type of pollution that reduces visibly

Question 5

temperature inversion

Answer 5

the action of inverting something or the state of being inverted.

Question 6

sick syndrome

Answer 6

is a state of adaptation or dysregulation of thyrotropic feedback control

Question 7

asbestos

Answer 7

a heat-resistant fibrous silicate mineral that can be woven into fabrics, and is used in fire-resistant and insulating materials such as brake linings.

Question 8

decibel (dB)

Answer 8

The decibel is a relative unit of measurement corresponding to one tenth of a bel.

Question 9

acid precipitation

Answer 9

Acid rain is a rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually acidic, meaning that it has elevated levels of hydrogen ions.

Question 10

pH

Answer 10

a figure expressing the acidity or alkalinity of a solution on a logarithmic scale on which 7 is neutral, lower values are more acid and higher values more alkaline. The pH is equal to −log10 c, where c is the hydrogen ion concentration in moles per liter.

Question 11

acid shock

Answer 11

A sudden increase in the level of acidity of surface waters (lakes, streams, and rivers) in mid‐latitude areas, caused by the melting in spring of snow that has accumulated through the winter, and stored dry fallout of acidic precipitation.