Unit 6: Atmospheric Pollution

Photochemical smog

air pollutants creating brown-grey smog in the air made of VOCs and NOXs reacted with UV radiation

VOCs

volatile organic hydrocarbons - organic compounds that easily vaporize and cause air pollution

NOXs

nitrogen oxides

SOXs

sulfur oxides

ozone

O3, greenhouse gas

when is photochemical smog frequency highest

afternoons and summers

Carbon monoxide sources

furnaces, open fires, wildfires

VOCs sources

furniture, wallpaper, other man made items

clean air act

EPA regulated act regulating air pollutant emissions from vehicles, industrial sources, and other sources

conventional vehicles

vehicles that use gas or diesel, releasing carbon dioxide

hybrid vehicles

vehicles that use gas/diesel but also use electric power

plug-in hybrid vehicles

hybrid vehicles but can be plugged into an outlet for convenience

electric vehicles

vehicles solely reliant on electric power, releasing zero fossil fuels

individual-level methods of preventing air pollution

walking, biking, public transit, maintaining safe ventilation

acid rain

precipitation containing high levels of SOXs and NOXs that give it a pH of 4 instead of a natural 5.5

acid rain negative effects

ruins soil and leaves on plants, bad for human respiratory issues, destroys constructed buildings and statues