my half of unit 10

Air Pollution

Contamination of the atmosphere from human activities and natural sources.

Human-caused sources of air pollution

Industrial burning and automobile exhausts.

Natural sources of air pollution

Dust, pollen, and volcanic eruptions.

Primary Pollutants

Pollutants that are directly released into the atmosphere, like soot from smoke and carbon monoxide.

Secondary Pollutants

Pollutants that form in the atmosphere through chemical reactions, such as ground-level ozone.

Sources of air pollution from household products

Pollutants include carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and VOCs.

Particulate Matter

Small particles in the air from burning fuels, cement plants, mining, and wood burning.

Motor vehicle emissions contribution to air pollution

About ⅓ of air pollution is from vehicles, with 90% from passenger vehicles.

Clean Air Act (1970)

Regulates vehicle emissions and banned lead in gasoline, reducing lead pollution.

Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Program

California’s initiative to reduce car emissions and increase zero-emission vehicles.

Industrial air pollution sources

Power plants, refineries, smelting plants, and dry cleaning operations.

Pollutants from industrial sources

VOCs, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides.

Scrubbers

Devices that remove harmful pollutants from industrial emissions.

Electrostatic Precipitators

Devices that remove dust from smokestacks in cement factories and coal plants.

Smog

Air pollution that forms from a mix of smoke, fog, and sunlight, primarily from vehicles and industries.

Temperature Inversion

Weather condition where warm air traps pollutants near the surface, common in cities.

Health effects of air pollution

Short-term effects include headaches; long-term effects include lung damage and cancer.

Sick Building Syndrome

Health issues caused by poor ventilation in tightly sealed buildings.

Radon Gas

Naturally occurring radioactive gas that can lead to lung cancer.

Noise Pollution

Causes hearing loss, stress, and sleep disruption.