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APES > chapter 18 > Flashcards

chapter 18 Flashcards

to study for test (dec 4)

1
Q

atmospheric pressure

A
  • measure of mass per unit of air
  • decreases with altitude
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2
Q

density

A

varies throughout the atmosphere due to gravitational forces
- air at sea level has higher density than air at the top of a mountain

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3
Q

atmosphere

A

thin layer of gases that surrounds the earth; classified into layers characterised by changes in temperature
- 78% nitrogen
- 21% oxygen
- .9% argon
- .1% water vapour, carbon dioxide, neon, helium, trace gases

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4
Q

troposphere

A
  • earth to 10km up
  • 75-80% of atmospheric gases
  • short-term weather patterns & long-term climate occurs here
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5
Q

stratosphere

A
  • 10km to 50km above earth
  • ozone layer is here; absorbs the majority (95%) of uv radiation from the sun
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6
Q

mesosphere

A
  • 50km to 80km above earth
  • colest layer of the atmosphere (as low as -90deg C)
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7
Q

ozone

A
  • bad in the troposphere, good in the stratosphere
  • oxygen molecules + uv radiation = o3
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8
Q

thermosphere

A
  • 80km into space
  • ionosphere: lower layer, 80km to 550km; reflects radio waves back to earth; cannot reflect shorter tv waves
  • exosphere: upper layer, blends into the vacuum of interplanetary space
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9
Q

primary pollutants

A

pollutants emitted directly into the air

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10
Q

secondary pollutants

A

formed when primary pollutants react together or with the atmosphere

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11
Q

major air pollutants

A
  • carbon oxides
  • nitrogen oxides
  • particulaates
  • vocs
  • ozone
  • radon 222, plutonium 239
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12
Q

outdoor air pollution

A
  • comes mostly from natural sources (dust particles, organic chemicals from plant decay, forest fires) and burning fossil fuels (vehicles, industrial plants, urban areas)
  • pollution from natural sources rarely reach harmful levels
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13
Q

outdoor primary pollutants (examples)

A

soot, carbon monoxide, nitric oxides

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14
Q

outdoor secondary pollutants (examples)

A

nitric acid

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15
Q

indoor air pollutants

A

come from infiltration of outside air & chemicals used/produced inside buildings

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16
Q

photochemical smog

A
  • nitrogen oxides or vocs + heat and sunlight = pc smog & other pollutants (more than 100)
  • some no2 reacts with hydrocarbons to produce a mixture of ozone, nitric acid, aldehydes, PANs, etc.
17
Q

temperature inversion

A

when cool air is trapped below warm air
- can prevent outdoor pollutants from rising & dispersing
- dense, colder air becomes stagnant and accumulates more pollutants
- cities in valleys surrounded by mountains & areas with sunny climate, light winds, mountains, and lots of vehicles
- e.g. los angeles basin

18
Q

industrial smog

A
  • mixture of sulphur dioxide, droplets of sulphuric acid, and suspended solid particles (emitted by burning coal & oil)
19
Q

reducing outdoor air pollution

A
  • precipitation, sea spray, winds
  • heavy particles settle out of the atmosphere due to gravity
  • chemical reactions of pollutants
  • these methods remove pollutants from the air & deposit them elsewhere
20
Q

increasing outdoor air pollution

A
  • urban buildings
  • mountains
  • high temperatures
21
Q

air pollution control

A
  • catalytic converters
  • wet & dry scrubbers
  • electrostatic precipitators
  • vapour recovery nozzle
  • afterburners
22
Q

catalytic converter

A

used in automobiles to convert co, NOx, and hydrocarbons to less harmful gases (like co2)

23
Q

wet & dry scrubbers

A

gases in smokestacks are passed through CaO (lime) or CaCO3 (calcium carbonate) to remove SO2, accumulating in a sludge
- smokestacks can reduce local pollution, but increase regional pollution

24
Q

electrostatic precipitators

A

removes particulates using an induced electrical charge

25
Q

vapour recovery nozzle

A

on a gasoline pump, minimises gas fumes from escaping

26
Q

afterburners

A

an additional combustion process

27
Q

acid deposition

A
  • SOx, NOx, and particulates react in the atmosphere to produce acidic chemicals
  • these chemicals travel long distances before coming back to earth
  • big problem in areas downwind from coal-burning facilities & urban areas
28
Q

wet vs dry deposition

A

wet: acidic rain, snow, fog, vapour with pH less than 5,6
dry: adicic particles

29
Q

sick-building syndrome

A
  • buildings with particularly poor air quality
  • caused by tobacco smoke, fromaldehyde, gasoline, radon gas, abestos, CO, VOCs, fungi, bacteria
30
Q

radon 222

A

colourless, odourless, radioactive gas
- produced by decay of uranium 238

31
Q

clean air acts

A
  • epa established naaqs (national ambient air quality standards)
  • epa established national emission standards for roxic air pollutants
  • 2003 clear skies initiative: reduced the effectiveness of the clean air act
32
Q

neutralising acid lakes

A
  • adding limestone or lime to water or soil
  • adding a small amount of phosphate fertiliser
  • reducing SO2, NOx, and particulates
  • use of low-sulphur coal (pros and cons)
33
Q

deficiencies of clean air act

A
  • continued reliance on pollution cleanup vs prevention
  • failure to sharply increase fuel efficiency for vehicles
  • no strict emission standards for fine particulates
  • municipal trash incinerators are given 30-year permits
  • weak standards for incinerators
  • weak standards for emissions of CO2 and other GHGs
34
Q

indoor air pollution statistics

A
  • common pollutants are 2-5x greater inside homes & buildings than outside
  • inside cars in traffic-clogged areas, the pollution may be 18x higher than outside
  • health risks are magnified bc people usually spend 70-98% of their time indoors or in vehicles
  • as many as 2.8mil people die prematurely per year from breathing in high levels of indoor smoke & particulates
35
Q

four most dangerous indoor air pollutants

A
  • cigarette smoke
  • formaldehyde
  • radioactive radon-222 gas
  • small fine & ultrafine particles
36
Q

formaldehyde

A

chemical used to manufacture common household materials; taxidermy; vaping

37
Q

radon-222

A

found in soils & rocks; can seep into homes & increase risk of lung cancer
- produced by the radioactive decay of U-238
- thought to be 2nd leading cause of lung cancer deaths each year in the usa

remedies: sealing cracks in foundation & walls, increase ventilation, use a fan for cross ventilation

38
Q

how the respiratory system protects from air pollution

A
  • hairs in the nose filter out large particles; sticky mucus lines the respiratory trap to capture smaller particles & dissolved gases
  • sneezing/coughing to expel contaminated air & mucus
39
Q

disease & dangers from air pollution

A
  • prolonged/acute exposure to air pollutants can break down natural defences
  • asthma, lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, emphysema
  • people with respiratory diseases, the elderly, infants, pregnant women, and people with heart disease are especially vulnerable

APES (7 decks)

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