Air Pollution and Greenhouse Gases

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to air pollution, greenhouse gases, and their environmental impacts, based on the lecture notes.

Lead

Found in old plumbing pipes and fixtures and some ceramic glazes.

Coal burning power plants

The majority of atmospheric mercury is produced by these.

Carbon Monoxide

Has a stronger affinity for hemoglobin than oxygen.

Primary air pollutant

Carbon Monoxide is produced from burning coal.

Clean Air Act

Helped reduce air pollution by introducing regulatory measures to control lead in fuels.

Ground-level ozone reduction

Can be achieved by decreasing the emissions of nitrogen oxides.

Natural source of atmospheric carbon dioxide

Decomposition of organic matter.

Greenhouse gas and anthropogenic source

Nitrous oxide is primarily sourced from agricultural practices.

Normal air layering conditions

Warm air, cool air, cooler air.

Photochemical smog creation components

N0x and UV light along with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) must be present.

Radon major source

Underlying bedrock is the major source of radon in houses in the US.

Health problem related to radon

Lung cancer is the major health risk of radon accumulation.

Tropospheric ozone reactants

N02 + V0cs + 02 + sunlight are needed to form tropospheric ozone.

Los Angeles, California

A city that regularly experiences the worst levels of photochemical smog, enhanced by thermal inversions.

Natural process adding carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide is released from the interior of Earth during volcanic eruptions.

Required environmental conditions for smog

A cool sea breeze and a high pressure system are needed in addition to a nearby mountain range.

Scrubber technologies

These technologies decrease the amount of sulfur dioxide from coal power plants.