Chapter 18: Air Pollution

What is the composition of the atmosphere?

nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), argon (0.9%), trace gases (0.1%)

Which atmosphere layer is 10 km long, has 75-80% of atmospheric gases, bad ozone, and weather occurs here?

troposphere

Which atmosphere layer has the ozone layer, with good ozone higher and bad ozone lower?

stratosphere

Which atmosphere layer is the coldest at -90 degrees Celsius?

mesosphere

Which atmosphere layer extends into outer space: the ionosphere reflects radio waves while the exosphere exists as the boundary to space?

thermosphere

What can be described as the presence of chemicals in the atmosphere harming living things?

air pollution

What are products of natural and human activities?

primary pollutants

primary pollutant + air component = ?

secondary pollutants

What are the SIX major classes of air pollutants?

NOSeCLiP: nitrogen, ozone, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, lead, particulates

NOx + VOC + UV light = ?

photochemical smog

Which form of air pollution control is used in automobiles to lessen the harm of some gases (ex: CO2, NOx)?

catalytic converter

Which form of air pollution control puts smokestake gases through CaO (lime) or CaCO3 to remove SO2?

wet and dry scrubbers

Which form of air pollution control removes particulates with an induced electrical charge?

electrostatic precipitators

Which form of air pollution control is on gasoline pumps to stop gas fumes from escaping?

vapor recovery nozzle

Which form of air pollution control is a combustion process?

afterburners

What happened in Salt Lake City, Utah?

thermal inversion (warm air on top traps cool air underneath)

What is a mixture of acid precipitation and particles on the Earth’s surface?

acid deposition

what a

Effects of acid deposition:

plant damage, soil acidification, lake acidification (pH changes)

What is air pollution inside buildings with poor air quality called?

sick-building syndrome

Examples of health issues due to air pollutants:

lung cancer, asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema

What did the Clean Air Acts (1907, 1977, 1990) accomplish?

national ambient air quality standards (NAAQs), nation toxic air pollutant emission standards; “Clear Skies” increased pollution quota for companies

Name FOUR deficiencies of the Clean Air Acts:

more reliance on cleanup not prevention, no increase in fuel efficiency or emission standards, 30-year permits for municipal trash incinerators, weak standards for incinerators and GHG emissions