Air pollution + greenhouse effect

What is air pollution

the release of harmful substances into the air that natural biological processes cannot easily remove

Air pollution occurs when there is

too much carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, methane and CFCs in the atmosphere

How is carbon monoxide released into the atmosphere

why is it so harmful

• when substances are burnt with a limited supply of oxygen, carbon monoxide is formed e.g petrol or diesel

• It is a colourless odourless gas which causes death by asphyxiation

• this occurs when haemoglobin binds with the carbon monoxide forming carbonoxyhaemoglobin so it cannot bind with oxygen

How is sulfur dioxide released into the atmosphere and why is it harmful

• it is released when burning fossil fuels e.g internal combustion engines in cars and power stations

• when it mixes with rain clouds it forms sulfuric acid —-> this causes acid rain

• this pollutes rivers and aquatic life as it effects pH levels

• tops of trees turn yellow

• soil acidity increases making it difficult for trees and plants to take up minerals

What is the problem with green house gases

they trap energy from the sun —> when the sun emits energy onto earth it is trapped by the CO2 and methane causing the heat radiation to be trapped by the gases