Week 5 Textbook Readings: Air Pollution

Question 1

What is haze?

Answer 1

Reduced visibility.

Question 2

What is a photochemical oxidant?

Answer 2

A class of air pollutants formed as a result of sunlight acting on compounds such as nitrogen oxides.

Question 3

Ozone (O3)

Answer 3

A secondary pollutant made up of three oxygen atoms bound together.

Question 4

What is sulfurous smog?

Answer 4

Smog dominated by sulfur dioxide and sulfate compounds. Gray smog. Industrial smog.

Question 5

What is photochemical smog?

Answer 5

Smog that is dominated by oxidants such as ozone. Brown smog.

Question 6

What are volatile organic compounds (VOCs)?

Answer 6

An organic compound that evaporates at typical atmospheric temperatures.

Question 7

What is a primary pollutant?

Answer 7

A polluting compound that comes directly out of a smokestack, exhaust pipe, or natural emission source.

Question 8

What is a secondary pollutant?

Answer 8

A primary pollutant that has undergone transformation in the presence of sunlight, water, oxygen, or other compounds.

Question 9

Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) sources

Answer 9

Caused by combustion of fuels that contain sulfur like coal, oil, gasoline

Question 10

Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) effects

Answer 10

Leads to respiratory irritation, harms stomata and plant tissue, converts to sulfuric acid in atmosphere which harms aquatic life and some vegetation

Question 11

Nitrogen oxides (NOXs) causes

Answer 11

Caused by all combustion in the atmosphere (ex. fossil fuels, wood, other biomass burning)

Question 12

Nitrogen oxides effects

Answer 12

Leads to respiratory irritation; is an ozone precursor, leads to formation of photochemical smog; converts to nitric acid in atmosphere which harms aquatic life and some vegetation; leads to over-fertilization of terrestrial and aquatic systems

Question 13

Carbon monoxide (CO) causes

Answer 13

Caused by incomplete combustion, malfunctioning exhaust systems, poorly ventilated cooking fires

Question 14

Carbon monoxide effects

Answer 14

Leads to interference with oxygen transport in bloodstream because it bonds to hemoglobin; low concentrations cause headaches; prolonged exposure and high concentration causes death

Question 15

Particulate matter causes

Answer 15

Caused by combustion of coal, oil, diesel and biofuels (wood, manure, etc.); activities that mobilize soil, soot, and dust (ex. agriculture and road construction).

Question 16

Particulate matter effects

Answer 16

Leads to reduced lung function; exacerbates respiratory and cardiovascular disease; premature death; reduced visibility; contributes to haze and smog

Question 17

Lead (Pb) causes

Answer 17

Caused by its addition to gasoline; oil, coal, old paint

Question 18

Lead effects

Answer 18

Leads to central nervous system impairment, can have effects on learning and concentration at low concentrations

Question 19

Ozone effects

Answer 19

Leads to reduced lung function and exacerbated respiratory symptoms; degrades plant surfaces; damages materials such as rubber and plastic

Question 20

Ozone (O3) causes

Answer 20

Caused by a combination of sunlight, water, oxygen. VOCs, and NOx

Question 21

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) causes

Answer 21

Caused by evaporation of fuels, solvents, paints; improper combustion of fuels like gasoline

Question 22

VOCs effects

Answer 22

Is a precursor to ozone formation

Question 23

Mercury (Hg) causes

Answer 23

Caused by coal, oil, gold mining

Question 24

Mercury effects

Answer 24

Leads to central nervous system impairment, bioaccumulates in food chain

Question 25

Carbon dioxide (CO2) causes

Answer 25

Caused by combustion of fossil fuels and clearing of land

Question 26

Carbon dioxide effects

Answer 26

Leads to climate effects, alters ecosystems by increasing greenhouse gas concentrations