APES unit 8

what are the health effects of radon

lung cancer and death

what are the health affects of lead

causes damage to your nervous system, immune system, kidney function, development, and reproductive systems

what are the health effects of particulate matter

can cause respiratory issues, cardiovascular diseases, and aggravation of pre-existing health conditions.

electrostatic precipitators

removes particulate matter by using an electrical charge to make the particles coalesce and remove them from the exhausts steam

Catalytic converters

a device that uses chemicals to convert pollutants like nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide to nitrogen gas and carbon dioxide

Wet-scrubber units

uses water to remove particles from industrial exhaust steam

Thermal expansion

an increase in size due to a change in temperature

Particulate matter

solid or liquid particles suspended in the air

primary pollutant

polluting compounds that come directly from the source(smoke stacks, exhaust pipe, or natural emission source)

secondary pollutant

primary pollutants that have undergone a transformation by sunlight water oxygen or other compounds.

Photochemical smog

a reaction of NOx the sun VOC making ground level ozone

Thermal inversion

a layer of warm air trapping a layer of cold dense air bellow trapping admissions near the surface

Greenhouse effect

the absorption of infrared radiation of atmospheric glasses and radiation of the energy back towards the earth

Greenhouse gases (GHG)

water vapor(H2O), carbon dioxide(CO2), methane(CH4), nitrous oxide(N2O), CFCs

Global warming potential

an estimate of how much a molecule of any compound can contribute to global warming over a period of 100 years compared to one molecule of carbon dioxide

Ocean acidification

when carbon dioxide enters the ocean it is converted to carbonic acid lowering the ph of the ocean causing the acidity of the ocean to rise

The 6 criteria pollutants of the Clean Air Act

• Carbon monoxide

• Lead 

• Nitrous oxide

• Ground level ozone

• particulate matter

• Sulfur dioxide

How the Clean Air Act helped to reduce air pollution

set standards for air quality provided funds for pollution control allowed citizens to sue parties for violating standards

How the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 helped to reduce SO2

strengthened  standards for auto emissions, toxic air pollutants, acidic deposition, and stratospheric ozone depletion. Introduced emissions trading

Methods of reducing SO2

scrubbers clean fuel and clean air legislation like emission trading catalytic converters

Methods of reducing particulate

coal scrubbers, electrostatic precipitators, and bag house filters.

Methods of reducing carbon monoxide

catalytic converters

The reason for the reduction of atmospheric lead

stopped using leaded gasoline

The common air pollutants produced from burning coal

sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, carbon dioxide, and mercuy

The source of the majority of atmospheric mercury

volcanic eruptions

Disadvantage of using electrostatic precipitator

high initial cost and have the potential to produce ozone

The 3 main anthropogenic sources of air pollutants in the US

transportation, industrial, construction

Problems associated with a thermal inversion

causes health problems(effects respiratory system and nervous system)air pollution ,and ground level ozone

A city where thermal inversions are common

L.A

Where good ozone and bad ozone occur

bad ozone occurs in the troposphere  and good ozone occurs in the stratosphere

The major source of the pollutants that create ground level ozone

transportation and power plants

The reaction that creates photochemical smog/tropospheric ozone

sunlight that reacts with nox and vocs

The primary cause of acid rain

:sulfur and nitrous oxide in the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels

The change in H+ ions with every number on the pH scale:

ten times the amount per whole number on the PH scale

Problems associated with acid rain:

can reduce the ph of lake water, acidify soils, and corrode rock and other materials

The type of rock that can neutralize acid rain:

limestone

What group of chemicals is depleting the ozone layer

:cfcs

How CFCs destroy ozone:

they release chlorine into the atmosphere when broken down by uv rays

The former uses of CFCs:

they were used as coolants (refrigerators, air conditioners),

Problems associated with ozone depletion:

cataracts, skin cancer, and threat to immune system

When ozone depletion is at its worst over Antarctica during the year:

september and october

Why ozone depletion is expected to peak between 2010 and 2019:

because of the montreal compromise(1987) that pledged to stop production of cfcs by 50% by 2000

The agreement that reduced CFC use:

the montreal compromise 

Health effects of indoor air pollution:

lung cancer, damage of the nervous system,

issues of indoor air pollution in developing countries

Indoor air pollution in developing countries is caused by burning coal, wood, animal dung, and crop waste along with poor ventilation 

issues of indoor air pollution in developed countries

Indoor air pollution in developed countries is caused by tightly sealed buildings and the combination of usage VOCs 

Why CO is dangerous to human health:

carbon monoxide can cause you to asphyxiate

The source of radon:

from the decay of uranium found in rocks

Where you most likely would be exposed to radon gas

:in your home from well water and building materials

Remediation strategy for removing radon gas:

improve ventilation

How noise pollution can harm animals such as bats:

noise pollution can interfere with echolocation

Which greenhouse gas does not contribute significantly to global warming and why

:water vapor

The greenhouse gas only comes from human sources:

cfcs

The greenhouse gas that can form from anaerobic respiration:

methane