Air Pollutants (Vocab Unit 7)

Primary air pollutants

chemicals released into air, Sulfur dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Carbon monoxide (CO), Particulate Matter, Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

Secondary air pollutants

Examples of a secondary pollutant include ozone, which is formed when hydrocarbons (HC) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) combine in the presence of sunlight; NO2, which is formed as NO combines with oxygen in the air; and acid rain, which is formed when sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxides react with water

particulate matter (PM)

Bit of object going into you lungs like sand, dust, and hair.

Volative organic compounds (VOCs)

is when including hydrocarbons (CxHy) but also other organic chemicals are emitted from a very wide range of sources, including fossil fuel combustion, industrial activities, and natural emissions from vegetation and fires

Sulfur Dioxide

gas composed from when sulfur reaches contact with oxygen

Nitrogen Dioxide

highly reactive gases formed when oxygen and nitrogen react at high temperatures during combustion or lightning strikes

Carbon Monoxide

an odorless, colorless gas formed by incomplete combustion of carbon in fuel

Ground Level ozone

is not emitted directly into the air, but is created by chemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the presence of sunlight

Stratospheric ozone

which contains about 90 percent of the ozone in the atmosphere, makes the planet habitable by absorbing harmful solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation before it reaches the planet's surface

Smog

fog or haze combined with smoke and other atmospheric pollutants.

Temperature inversions

an increase in temperature with height, or to the layer ("inversion layer") within which such an increase occurs. An inversion can lead to pollution such as smog being trapped close to the ground, with possible adverse effects on health

pH

The leveling system of how acidic something is

Acid

A chemical compound

Acidification

is the ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earth's oceans, caused by the uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere

Acid Precipitation

The process when water infused w/ SO and create acid rain

Stratospheric Ozone Layer

The layer above the ozone layer protecting us fromUV rays from the sun

Greenhouse Effects

The process that gases heat up the earth

Greenhouse gases

Gases in the stratospheric ozone that heat the planet up

Methane

a greenhouse gas that comes from livestock

Water Vapor

evaporated water in our atmosphere that acts as a greenhouse gas

Clean Air Act

1970, 1977, & 1990 - set standards for 6 major outdoor air pollutants (CO, NO2, SO2, SPM, O3, and Pb). 2 Standards - 1st protects human health, 2nd protects property & environment

Cap & Trade Program

Emissions trading where companies are allotted a certain amount of credits for pollution. They can use, buy, or sell their portion. Problems: can buy your way out & it relies on self reporting. Success: set the cap low and reduce it over time