Chapter 17 - Atmospheric Science, Air Quaility, and Pollution Control

Question 1

troposphere

Answer 1

the bottommost layer of the atmosphere; it extends to 11km (7 mi) to above sea level

Question 2

statosphere

Answer 2

the layer of the atmosphere above the troposphere and below the mesosphere; it extends from 11km (7 mi) to 50 km (31 mi) above sea level

Question 3

ozone layer

Answer 3

a portion of the stratosphere, roughly 17 - 30 km (10 - 19 mi) above sea level, that contains most of the ozone in the atmosphere

Question 4

atmosphere pressure

Answer 4

the weight per unit area produced by a column of air

Question 5

relative humidity

Answer 5

the ratio of water vapor given volume of air to the maximum amount the air could contain, for a given temperature.

Question 6

convective circulation

Answer 6

a circular current (of air, water, magma, ect.) driven by temperature differences in the atmosphere, warm air that rises into the regions of lower atmosphere pressure, where it expands and cools and them descends and becomes denser, replacing warm air that is rising. the air picks up heat and moisture near ground level and prepared to rise again. continuing the process

Question 7

weather

Answer 7

the local physical properties of the troposphere, such as temperature, pressure, pressure,humidity, cloudiness, and wind, over relatively short time periods

Question 8

climate

Answer 8

the pattern of atmospheric conditions found across long geographic regions over long periods of time

Question 9

front

Answer 9

the boundary between air masses that differ in temperature and moisture (and therefore density)

Question 10

warm front

Answer 10

the boundary where a mass of warm air displaces a mass of colder air

Question 11

cold front

Answer 11

the boundary where a mass of cold air displaces a mass of warmer air

Question 12

high pressure system

Answer 12

an air mass with elevated atmospheric pressure, containing air that descends, typically bringing fair weather

Question 13

low-pressure system

Answer 13

an air mass in which air moves towards the low atmospheric pressure at the center of the system and spirals upward, typically bringing clouds and precipitation

Question 14

temperature inversion (thermal inversion)

Answer 14

a departure from the normal temperature distribution in the atmosphere, in which a packet of relatively cold air occurs near ground. with warmer air above it. the cold air, denser than the air above, traps pollutants near the ground and can thereby cause a build up of smog

Question 15

inversion layer

Answer 15

in a temperature inversion, the band of air in which temperature rises with altitude (instead of falling with altitude, as temperature does normally)

Question 16

Hadley cell

Answer 16

one of a pair of cells of convective circulation between the equator and 30 degrees north and south latitude that influence global climate patterns

Question 17

polar cell

Answer 17

one of a pair of cells of convective circulation between the poles and 60 degrees north and south latitude that influence global climate patterns

Question 18

ferrel cell

Answer 18

one of a pair of cells of convective circulation between the 30 degrees and 60 degrees north and south latitude that influence global climate change

Question 19

Coriolis effect

Answer 19

the apparent deflection of north-south air currents to a partly east-west direction. caused by the faster spin of the regions near the equator than of the regions near the poles as a result of Earth’s rotation

Question 20

hurricane

Answer 20

a cyclonic storm that forms over the ocean but can do damage upon arriving on land. a type of cyclonic or typhoon that usually forms over the atlantic sea ocean

Question 21

tornado

Answer 21

a cyclonic storm in which funnel clouds pick up soil and objects, threatening life and causing great damage to property

Question 22

air pollution

Answer 22

the act of polluting the air, or the condition of being polluted by air pollutants

Question 23

air pollutants

Answer 23

gases and particulate material added to the atmosphere that can affect climate or harm people or other organisms

Question 24

outdoor (ambient) air pollution

Answer 24

air pollution that occurs outdoors

Question 25

aerosals

Answer 25

very fine liquid droplets or solid particles aloft in the atmosphere

Question 26

primary pollutant

Answer 26

a hazardous substance, such as soot or carbon monoxide, that is emitted into the troposphere in a form that is directly harmful

Question 27

secondary pollutant

Answer 27

a hazardous substance produced through the reaction of substances added to the atmosphere with chemicals normally found in the atmosphere

Question 28

residence time

Answer 28

(1) in a biogeochemical cycle, the amount of time a nutrient remains in a given pool or reservoir before moving to another (2) in the atmosphere, the amount of time a gas molecule or pollutant remains aloft

Question 29

clean air act of 1970

Answer 29

revision of prior US legislation to control air pollution that set stricter standards for air quality, imposed limits for emissions from new stationary and malice sources, provided new funds for pollution control research, and enabled citizens to sue parties violating the standards

Question 30

clean air act of 1990

Answer 30

US legislation that strengthened regulations pertaining to air quality standards, auto emissions, toxic air pollution, acid deposition, and depletion of the ozone layer, while also introducing market based incentives to reduce pollution

Question 31

carbon monoxide (CO)

Answer 31

a colorless, odorless gas produced primarily by the incomplete combustion of fuel

Question 32

sulfur dioxide (SO2)

Answer 32

a colorless gas that can result from the combustion of fuel. in the atmosphere, it may rect to form sulfur trioxide (SO3) and sulfuric acid, which may return to the earth in acid deposition

Question 33

lead

Answer 33

a heavy metal that may be ingested through water or paint, or that may enter the atmosphere as a particulate pollutant through combustion of leaded gasoline or other processes. atmospheric lead deposited on land and water can enter the food chain, accumulate within body tissues, and cause lead poisoning in animals and in humans. an EPA criteria pollutant

Question 34

volatile organic compound (VOC)

Answer 34

one of a large group of potentially harmful organic chemicals used in industrial processes. one of the six major pollutants whose emissions are monitored by the EPA and state agencies

Question 35

particulate matter

Answer 35

solid or liquid particles small enough to be suspended in the atmosphere and able to damage respiratory tissues when inhaled. includes primary pollutants such a dust or soot as well as secondary pollutants such as sulfates and nitrates. an EPA criteria pollutant

Question 36

nitrogen oxide (NOx)

Answer 36

one of a family of compounds that includes nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen oxide (NO2)

Question 37

scrubber

Answer 37

technology to chemically treat gases produced in combustion in order to reduce smoke stack emissions. these devices typically remove hazardous components and neutralize acidic gases, such as sulfur dioxide and hydrochloric acid, turning them into water and salt

Question 38

industrial smog

Answer 38

“gray-air” smog caused by the incomplete combustion of coal or oil when burned

Question 39

ozone-depleting substances

Answer 39

airborne chemicals, such as halocarbons, that destroy the ozone layer in the stratosphere

Question 40

acid deposition

Answer 40

the settling of acidic or acid forming pollutants from the atmosphere onto Earth’s surface, this may take place by precipitation, fog, gases, or deposition of dry particles

Question 41

acid rain

Answer 41

acid deposition that takes place through rain

Question 42

atmospheric deposition

Answer 42

the wet or dry deposition on land of a wide variety of pollutants, including mercury, nitrates, organochlorines, and others. acid deposition is one type of atmospheric deposition

Question 43

indoor air pollution

Answer 43

air pollution that occurs indoors

Question 44

nitrogen dioxide (NO2)

Answer 44

a foul smelling reddish brown gas that contributes to smog and acid deposition. it results when atmospheric nitrogen and oxygen react at high temperatures created by combustion engines. an EPA criteria pollutant

Question 45

tropospheric ozone

Answer 45

ozone that occurs in the troposphere, where it is a secondary pollutant created by the interaction of sunlight, heat, nitrogen oxides, and volatile carbon-containing chemicals. a major component of smog, it can injure living tissues and cause respiratory problems. an EPA criteria pollutant

Question 46

toxic air pollutant

Answer 46

air pollutant that is known to cause cancer, reproductive defects, or neurological development, immune system, or respiratory problems in humans, and or cause substantial ecological harm by affecting the health of nonhuman animals and plants. the clean air act of 1990 identifies 188 toxic air pollutants, ranging from the heavy metal mercury to VOCs such as benzene and methylene chloride

Question 47

halocarbon

Answer 47

a class of human-made chemical compounds derived from simple hydro-carbons in which hydrogen atoms are replaced by halogen atoms such as bromine, fluorine, and chlorine. many halocarbons are ozone depleting substances and or greenhouse gases

Question 48

chlorofluorocarbons (CFC)

Answer 48

a type of halocarbon consisting of only of carbon, hydrogen, fluorine, and chlorine. CFCs were used as refrigerants, fire extinguishers, propellants for aerosals spray cans, cleaners for electronics, and for making polystyrene foam. they were phased out under the Montreal protocol because they are ozone depleting substances that destroy stratospheric ozone

Question 49

ozone hole

Answer 49

term popularly used to describe the thinning of the stratospheric ozone layer that occurs over Antartica each year, as a result of CFCs and other 03 depleting substances

Question 50

Montreal protocol

Answer 50

international treaty ratified in 1987 in which 180 (now 196) signatory nations agreed to restrict production of CFCs in order to halt stratospheric 03 depletion. this was a protocol of the Vienna convention for the protection of the ozone layer. the Montreal protocol is widely considered the most successful effort to date in addressing a global environmental problem