Exam 3 V.2 Flashcards
Contaminants in the atmosphere that can harm human health, damage ecosystems, and affect climate. Sources include both natural processes and human activities.
Air Pollution
Tiny solid and liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere. They can be natural (sea salt, dust, volcanic ash) or anthropogenic (smoke, industrial pollution).
Aerosols
Solid and liquid particles found in the air, often classified by size (PM10, PM2.5) where the number indicates the maximum diameter in micrometers. Smaller particles can penetrate deeper into lungs.
Particulate Matter (PM)
A gas made up of three oxygen atoms (O₃). Stratospheric “good” ozone protects Earth from harmful UV radiation, while tropospheric “bad” ozone is a pollutant that causes respiratory problems.
Ozone
A region of exceptionally depleted ozone in the stratosphere over Antarctica that forms during the Southern Hemisphere spring (August-October).
Ozone Hole
Human-made chemicals once widely used in refrigeration, propellants, and other applications that break down in the stratosphere and release chlorine atoms that destroy ozone.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
International agreement created in 1987 to phase out the production of substances that deplete the ozone layer.
Montreal Protocol
A measure of overall air pollution that combines concentrations of major pollutants into a single value related to health impacts.
Air Quality Index (AQI)
Carbon-containing chemicals that readily evaporate at room temperature. They contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone and can come from both natural sources (pine trees) and human activities (gasoline, paints).
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Gases produced during combustion of fossil fuels, during fires, and by bacteria. Important in tropospheric ozone formation.
Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)
Clouds that form in the extremely cold stratosphere over polar regions and provide surfaces for chemical reactions that accelerate ozone destruction.
Polar Stratospheric Clouds
Phenomenon where the atmosphere glows green, demonstrating the thin nature of our atmosphere and making it visible to the human eye.
Air Glow
A unit of measurement for the total amount of ozone in a column of air from the Earth’s surface to the top of the atmosphere.
Dobson Unit
The fraction of light that is scattered compared to the total light that interacts with aerosols, ranging from 0.7 for very absorbing particles to 1 for particles that only scatter light.
Single Scattering Albedo (SSA)
Bright streaks in marine clouds caused by aerosols from ship exhaust, visible evidence of how pollution can modify cloud properties.
Ship Tracks
The short term state of the atmosphere is called
Weather
Statospheric ozone does what?
It protects Earth from most of the harmful UV radiation
The Criolis effect contributes to what?
To global wind patterns
What explains circulation patterns in the atmosphere?
Warm air rises and cools as it rises.
The Earth’s atmosphere is divided into layers based on the vertical profile of what?
Air temperature
True or false? Global warming and atmospheric CO2 concentrations seem to correlate
True
True or false? Photochemical smog results from the mixing of ultraviolet light and nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the atmosphere
True
True or false? Wind moves in predictable patterns across Earth’s surface.
True
