Enviro Air Pollution
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Q: What is the most abundant gas in Earth's atmosphere?
A: Nitrogen (about 78%)
Q: What is the second most abundant gas in Earth's atmosphere?
A: Oxygen (about 21%)
Q: Which gas makes up roughly 1% of the atmosphere?
A: Argon
Q: Which gases are considered variable gases?
A: Water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone
Q: In which atmospheric layer does all weather occur?
A: Troposphere
Q: What happens to temperature as you gain altitude in the troposphere?
A: It decreases
Q: What happens to temperature as you gain altitude in the stratosphere?
A: It increases (due to ozone absorption of UV radiation)
Q: In which layer do meteorites burn up?
A: Mesosphere
Q: Which is the outermost atmospheric layer?
A: Thermosphere
Q: Why does temperature increase with altitude in the stratosphere and thermosphere?
A: Because of the absorption of solar radiation by ozone and other molecules
Q: What is the ozone layer and where is it found?
A: A stratospheric layer of O₃ that protects life by absorbing UV radiation (about 17–30 km altitude)
Q: How is ozone formed naturally in the atmosphere?
A: By a photochemical reaction in the oxygen/ozone cycle
Q: What is the main cause of ozone depletion?
A: Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) interrupting the ozone-oxygen cycle by blocking O3 gas
Q: What is the trade name for CFCs?
A: Freon
Q: Where and when does the ozone hole reach its largest extent?
A: Over Antarctica, near the end of September
Q: What is the Montreal Protocol?
A: A 1989 international treaty banning ozone-depleting substances like CFCs and carbon tetrachloride
Q: What replaced CFCs after the Montreal Protocol?
A: Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which do not deplete ozone
Q: How is ground-level ozone different from stratospheric ozone?
A: Ground-level ozone is a pollutant; stratospheric ozone protects against UV radiation
Q: What are the six EPA criteria air pollutants?
A: Ground-level ozone (O₃), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), particulate matter (PM₂.₅ and PM₁₀), lead (Pb), and carbon monoxide (CO)
Q: What is the Air Quality Index (AQI)?
A: A scale summarizing air quality; ≤50 = good, >300 = hazardous
Q: Who monitors and reports AQI in the U.S.?
A: EPA, NOAA, and other government agencies
Q: What natural event can emit several criteria pollutants?
A: Forest fires or wildfires
Q: What is particulate matter?
A: Solid and liquid particles suspended in the air, often smaller than 10 microns
Q: Why are fine particles (PM₂.₅) more dangerous than larger ones?
A: They can enter the bloodstream and affect internal organs
Q: What are some natural sources of particulate matter?
A: Wildfires, dust storms, volcanoes
Q: What are some anthropogenic sources of particulate matter?
A: Vehicle exhaust, power plants, and industrial emissions
Q: What is a primary pollutant?
A: A pollutant emitted directly into the atmosphere (e.g., CO, SO₂)
Q: What is a secondary pollutant?
A: A pollutant formed in the atmosphere through chemical reactions (e.g., ozone, smog, acid rain)
Q: What is smog?
A: A mixture of CO and CO2 pollutants that reduce visibility and harm health.
Q: What is industrial smog caused by?
A: The combination of complete (CO2) and incomplete (CO) combustion of coal and oil (contains sulfur compounds and particulates).
Q: What is photochemical smog caused by?
A: Reactions between sunlight, VOCs (Tropospheric Ozone), and NO₂
Q: What is the main indoor air pollutant risk in less industrialized nations?
A: Soot and carbon monoxide from burning biomass for cooking/heating
Q: What are common sources of indoor air pollution in developed nations?
A: VOCs from cleaning products, paint, furniture, and poor ventilation
Q: Why is indoor air pollution often more dangerous than outdoor air pollution?
A: People spend more time indoors, where pollutant concentrations are higher
Q: What is the primary cause of poor indoor air quality?
A: Inadequate ventilation
Q: What are aerosols and why are they concerning?
A: Fine airborne particles or droplets that can carry toxins deep into the lungs
Q: Which pollutants combine to form acid rain?
A: Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxides (NOₓ)
Q: What is the typical pH of natural rain?
A: About 5.6 due to carbonic acid
Q: What are natural sources of acid-forming gases?
A: Volcanoes and decaying vegetation
Q: Which atmospheric layer controls weather patterns?
A: Troposphere
Q: What are two forces controlling weather patterns?
A: Uneven solar heating and physical properties of air/water
Q: What is a temperature inversion?
A: A layer of warm air traps cooler air near the surface, preventing pollution dispersal
Q: Why are smog events like the Great Smog of London (1952) significant?
A: They showed the deadly effects of air pollution trapped by weather patterns
Q: What are short-term health effects of air pollution?
A: Respiratory irritation, infections, asthma aggravation
Q: What are long-term health effects of air pollution?
A: COPD, lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, preterm birth
Q: Which groups are most at risk from poor air quality?
A: Individuals with preexisting heart or lung disease, children, and the elderly
Q: What is the main purpose of the Clean Air Act of 1970 (and amendments)?
A: To reduce air pollutants that cause smog, acid rain, and health problems
Q: Which agency enforces the Clean Air Act?
A: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Q: What does the EPA set under the Clean Air Act?
A: National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)
Q: What pollutants are regulated by NAAQS?
A: Only the six criteria pollutants
Q: What is one major outcome of the Clean Air Act?
A: Significant reductions in criteria pollutant levels even as the U.S. economy has grown
Q: What are citizens allowed to do under the Clean Air Act?
A: Sue corporations violating emissions standards
Q: Why should we care about air quality in other countries?
A: Air pollution travels globally and affects shared climate systems
Q: What factors influence air quality around the world?
A: Population density, industrial activity, natural events, and local regulations