Unit 7 Atmospheric Pollution APES Exam Review Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards related to atmospheric pollution.

Air Quality Advisories

Air quality advisories are issued when the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaches unhealthy levels.

Air Quality Index (AQI)

A nationally uniform index for reporting and forecasting daily air quality, focusing on health effects from common air pollutants.

Carbon monoxide (CO)

A colorless, odorless gas that is harmful when inhaled in large amounts, released when something is burned, mainly from vehicles and machinery using fossil fuels.

Coarse particles (PM10-2.5)

Particles with diameters generally larger than 2.5 micrometers (µm) and smaller than, or equal to, 10 µm in diameter.

Fine particles (PM2.5)

Particles that are generally 2.5 µm in diameter or smaller, including ultrafine particles and nanoparticles.

HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter

A pleated mechanical air filter that removes at least 99.97% of dust, pollen, mold, bacteria, and airborne particles with a size of 0.3 microns (µm).

Inversion

An atmospheric condition where a layer of cooler air is trapped near the ground by a layer of warmer air above, trapping pollution.

National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS)

Limits on atmospheric concentration of six pollutants (sulfur dioxide, particulates, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, ozone, and lead) set by the EPA under the Clean Air Act.

Tropospheric or Ground Level Ozone

Ground level ozone is created by chemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC).

Particle pollution (particulate matter or PM)

A general term for a mixture of solids and liquid droplets suspended in the air.

Sensitive groups (at-risk populations)

Persons at increased risk of experiencing adverse health effects related to air pollution exposures.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2)

A gas that is harmful to human health and the environment, with the largest sources from fossil fuel combustion at power plants and other industrial facilities.

Ultrafine particles (PM0.01)

Particles that are generally classified as having diameters less than 0.1 µm.