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 pollutants

Answer 2

air pollutant emitted to and from a direct source

Question 3

secondary pollutants

Answer 3

something that is not directly emitted

Question 4

smog

Answer 4

fog or haze combined with smoke and other atmospheric pollutants.

Question 5

temperature inversion

Answer 5

a reversal of the normal decrease of air temperature with altitude, or of water temperature with depth.

Question 6

sick building syndrome

Answer 6

is used to describe situations in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building,

Question 7

asbestos

Answer 7

is a naturally occurring fibrous silicate mineral. There are six types, all of which are composed of long and thin fibrous crystals, each fibre being composed of many microscopic “fibrils” that can be released into the atmosphere by abrasion and other processes.

Question 8

decibel

Answer 8

is used as a measure of sound power level, sound intensity level and sound pressure level

Question 9

acid precipitation

Answer 9

having increased acidity caused by environmental factors (such as atmospheric pollutants)

Question 10

ph

Answer 10

A low pH indicates acidic conditions, and a high pH indicates basic conditions. pH is actually a measure of the amount of hydrogen ions in solution

Question 11

acid shock

Answer 11

caused by the melting in spring of snow that has accumulated through the winter, and stored dry fallout of acidic precipitation.