Study Guide: Air Pollution and Climate Change

Pollution

Contamination of the environment (air, water, soil) by harmful substances, often from human activity.

Electrostatic Precipitator

A device that removes particulate matter (PM) from industrial exhaust by using electric charges to attract and collect particles.

VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds)

Organic chemicals that evaporate easily (e.g., benzene, formaldehyde), contributing to ozone formation and air pollution.

Heat of Fusion

Energy required to change a substance from solid to liquid (e.g., melting ice), relevant to climate change as ice melts due to warming.

Point Source Pollution

Pollution from a single, identifiable source (e.g., a factory smokestack).

Non-Point Source Pollution

Diffuse pollution from multiple sources (e.g., runoff from farms).

PM / Particulate Matter

Tiny solid or liquid particles in the air (e.g., PM10, PM2.5), from sources like dust, smoke, or combustion.

CFC’s / Chlorinated Fluorocarbons

Synthetic compounds once used in refrigerants/aerosols that deplete stratospheric ozone.

Troposphere

Lowest atmospheric layer (up to ~10 km), where weather occurs and most pollutants reside.

Stratosphere

Layer above the troposphere (10-50 km), containing the ozone layer that shields Earth from UV radiation.

Paris Accord / Agreement (2015)

Global pact to limit warming to below 2°C, with voluntary national commitments.

Kyoto Protocol (1992)

Earlier treaty setting binding emission reduction targets for developed nations.

Greenhouse Effect

Trapping of heat in Earth’s atmosphere by gases like CO2, CH4, and H2O, warming the planet.

Albedo

Measure of reflectivity; high albedo (e.g., ice) reflects sunlight, low albedo (e.g., water) absorbs it.

IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)

UN body assessing climate science and solutions.

Mitigation

Actions to reduce or prevent greenhouse gas emissions (e.g., renewable energy adoption).

Cap and Trade on Carbon Emissions

System where companies get a carbon 'cap' and can trade unused allowances, incentivizing reductions.

Weather

Short-term atmospheric conditions (e.g., today’s rain).

Climate

Long-term average patterns (e.g., 30-year temperature trends).

Troposphere

Lowest atmospheric layer (up to ~10 km), where weather occurs and most pollutants reside.

What are the six EPA Criteria Air Pollutants?

Particulate Matter (PM), Ground-Level Ozone (O3), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Lead (Pb).

Why is ozone a benefit in the stratosphere but a problem in the troposphere?

In the stratosphere, ozone absorbs harmful UV radiation. In the troposphere, it’s a pollutant that irritates lungs and damages plants.

Which particulates are considered more dangerous to health, large or small? Why?

Small (e.g., PM2.5). They penetrate deeper into lungs and bloodstream, causing health issues.

Which greenhouse gas has the greatest effect? Why is this a complicated question?

Carbon dioxide (CO2); it's abundant and has a long atmospheric lifetime, but methane (CH4) is more potent.

Which legal act primarily protects air quality?

The Clean Air Act (1970, amended 1990) in the U.S.

Which pollutants are reduced by catalytic converters in cars?

Carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

How was lead pollution significantly reduced in the 1970s?

Phasing out leaded gasoline under the Clean Air Act, starting in 1975.

What is the Paris Accord? What happens if a country fails to meet its goal?

A 2015 agreement to limit global warming to below 2°C with no strict penalties for non-compliance.

How does the melting of sea ice and glacial ice increase the warming of the planet?

Melting lowers albedo, so less heat is reflected, accelerating warming.

Why would a cap and trade system be easier than simple penalties?

It provides economic incentives for companies to reduce emissions.

What is the relationship between CO2 concentration and ocean pH? Why is ocean pH important?

Higher atmospheric CO2 lowers ocean pH (ocean acidification), affecting marine life like coral and shellfish.

What have carbon dioxide levels looked like over the past 800,000 years?

CO2 fluctuated between ~180 ppm and ~280 ppm, now at 423 ppm due to human emissions.

How do carbon dioxide concentrations and temperature compare?

They generally follow the same pattern; higher CO2 correlates with higher temperatures.