apes unit 7 (memorization)

so tell me why we have this and how i should kill myself bc of it

atmosphere composition

nitrogen (78) , oxygen (20) , argon, carbon dioxide (NOAC)

atmosphere services

blocks UV, moderates climate, redistributes water in water cycle

atmospheric pollution

chemicals added in atmosphere, by natural/human

primary pollutants

direct from source like vehicle, power plant, volcanos

primary pollutants example

NOx, CO, CO2, VOC, SOx, PM

secondary pollutant

reaction between primary and atmosphere (water, o2, sun)

secondary pollutant examples

ozone, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, smogso

sources of outdoor air pollution

transporation/industry

clean air act of 1970

control pollutants, gone through many changes. epa reg

particulate matter

released from fossil fuels/biomass.

respiratory irritant

carbon monoxide

released from fossil fuel combustion/machines. deadly

lead

released from ore/metal processing, gas

neurotoxin- damages nerve tissue

nitrogen oxides (NOx)

released from combustion

photoreactive — sunlight converts NO2 back to NO

• respiratory irritant

• leads to tropospheric ozone/photochemical smog

• forms nitric acid in atmso

sulfur oxides (SOx)

fossil fuel combustion, diesel, volcanos

• acid rain formation, grey smog, resp irritant

• blocks sun, combined w h2o vapor for sulfuric acid

ground level ozone

secondary from NOx
- resp irritant, slows plant growth

coal combustion

more pollutants than all other fossil fuels

• CO, CO2, SO2, NOx, toxic metals and PM

global distillation effect

chemicals boil off in tropics (heat) —> wind carries it —> cold air then falls to earth

industrial smog

gray, sulfurous smog from coal combustion. sox, pm

photochemical smog

brown/red. car combustion in places like LA.

nox, o3, VOCS, PANS

• ONLY FORMED IN SUNLIGHT. no smoke/fog. summer is peak

Nox is higher in morning bc more sunlight and cars driving to work

environmental of photochemical smog

• reduction in NPP

• impact animals similar to humans

• decrease lung capacity

• respiratory irritant

• eye irritant

how to reduce photochemical smog?

• reduce NOx and VOCs in the atmosphere

  • decrease number of vehicles, increase pub transport,

thermal inversion

air temp increases with altitude

• 25% less cloud cover

• light winds

• dry soil surface

• valley or basin

Donora smog 1948

one of the worst air pollution disasters

smog of london

temp inversion ppl dying on streets 4k dead

carbon dioxide

not a critical air pollutant bc it does not impact human health. js a greenhouse gas

natural sources of carbon dioxide

• respiration, decomposition, decomposition, naturally occurring forest fires, vo, volcanic eruptions

natural sources of PM

• is any small solid or liquid particles that get suspended

  • forest fires

  • volcano, dust etc.

carbon monoxide

incomplete combustion of fuels

• can occur outdoors/indoors —> aspyxiant. prevents oxygen from binding

• fossil/biomass

asbestos

long silicate particle that used to be in insulation

• phased out bc it caused cancer. now only in older buildings

radon

decay from uranium, leaks to rock and soil, into houses.

VOCs

• used in home products

  • usually have an odor

  • carpets/paints/cleaners

reduction of air pollutants

• law and regulations/conservation practice

• renewable energy

corporate average fuel economy (CAFE)

• standards regulate how much far vehicles must travel

cap and trade

the government set emissions limits, gains credit, companies can use credit as a currency

electrostatic precipitators

 remove particles from the gas emitted from coal-fired power plants by using electrical energy to negatively charge particles.

• Negatively charged pollutants are attracted to positively charged walls, then fall into the collector instead of being released

wet and dry scrubbers

removes particulate matter and gaseous air pollutants from smokestacks

catalytic converter

exhaust emission control device converts

vapor recovery nozzle

covers gasoline fume

acid rain

sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide w water vapor = acid rain

• pH of “normal” rain is 5.6, “seawater” is 8

• acid raid 4.2

wet deposition

sulfuric and nitric acid in precipitation

dry deposition

dry particles of sulfuric and nitric acid falling to earth’s surface

environment impacts

decrease soil and surface water pH (not oceans)

• leaching of toxic metals and aluminum and mercury into the soil

  • hurts plants

forest decline: limestone

• alkaine mineral

• high concentration of limestone experience fewer effects of acid rain

noise pollution

elevated sound levels

• physiological stress

• hearing loss

• hurts migratory routes

sources of noise pollution

transportation, construction, industrial activity, domestic activity