Unit 8 Flashcards- envir.
chemicals and other substances in the atmosphere at levels that can cause harm to people, other organisms, or ecosystems
air pollution
substances that are discharged into the air
Emissions
a mixture of very small particles and liquid droplets in the atmosphere
Particulate matter
a harmful chemical in the environment
Pollutant
chemicals that are released directly into the air at high enough concentrations to cause harm.
Primary pollutant
chemicals that are released into the air where they react with other chemicals to form new, harmful chemicals.
Secondary pollutant
a mixture of air pollutants that may form over urban areas
smog
forms when ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun reacts with pollutants in the air
photochemical smog
a change in air pressure, wind patterns, ocean currents, and ocean temperature
El Niño
Climate change might result in ___ storm systems.
more intense
___ ozone is good because it absorbs harmful UV radiation.
Stratospheric
a pattern of movement where less-salty water moves at the top of the ocean’s surface and cold, salty water moves at the depths of the ocean
thermocline circulation
There will be less snowpack in western mountain ranges. Some regions will experience an increase in food-crop yields. For cities that already experience heat waves, the frequency, intensity, and duration of those heat waves will most likely increase.
North America
The rain forest will be slowly replaced by savanna, causing loss of biodiversity. Less water may be available for human use, agriculture, and energy production.
Latin America
There will be an increased chance of flash flooding and coastal flooding. The sea level may rise, which would increase erosion. Crop yields are projected to decrease in the southern part of the continent.
Europe
Anywhere from 75 to 250 million people are projected to experience water stress or scarcity by 2020. Yields from crops that rely on rain could also decrease by 50% in some regions.
Africa
The availability of clean, fresh water is projected to decrease in most of the continent by the 2050s. Coastal areas will be at risk from flooding. Some regions are expected to see an increase in death rates due to diseases that are made worse by floods and droughts.
Asia
According to the WHO, ___ pollution is the worst type of air pollution globally.
indoor
Muqua is a valley surrounded by two tall canyon walls. On a sunny day in the winter, there is a very cold layer of air on the ground, and there is a high level of smog. This is due to ___.
temperature inversions
The polar ice caps ________ global temperature.
decrease
______ is a process that removes carbon from the atmosphere and stores it in a liquid or solid form.
Sequestration
A decrease of Amazon rain forests can lead to a(n) ________ in regional temperatures.
increase
A: methane
B: carbon dioxide
C: solar radiation
D: reradiated heat
E: reemitted heat
Label the diagram.
The _____ is the point at which a series of small changes causes a larger, more important change.
tipping point
The __________ is United States legislation that sets standards for vehicle and industry emissions as well as setting standards for air quality.
Clean Air Act
anthropogenic
caused by humans
a long-term change in a region’s precipitation and temperature
climate change
the rising of the overall global temperature
global warming
the trapping of heat that reradiates from the surface of the earth
greenhouse effect
The _________ is an international treaty for reducing ozone pollutants.
Montreal Protocol
The _____ is an international treaty that governs research on the only continent that does not have a native population.
Antarctic Treaty System
A(n) _____ is an explanation of observations or events based on hypotheses found to be true and verified many times by different groups of scientists.
theory
The _____ is an international treaty that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Kyoto Protocol
_____ smog is present in all modern cities.
Industrial
The closer you are to the equator, the temperature will ___________.
increase
the settling out of atmospheric acids onto land
acid deposition
smog that forms when soot combines with sulfur compounds and water droplets in the air
industrial smog
smog that forms when UV light from the sun reacts with pollutants in the air
photochemical smog
a mixture of air pollutants that may form over urban areas
smog
a weather condition that occurs when a layer of cold air becomes trapped under a layer of warm air in the troposphere
temperature inversion
