Apes unit 7.1

Which of the following pollutants is a secondary pollutant?

Ozone (O₃)

Which of the following is NOT a criteria air pollutant regulated under the Clean Air Act?

Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)

Which pollutant is particularly dangerous indoors due to poor ventilation and can lead to poisoning?

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Which pollutant is a major contributor to acid rain?

Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂)

Which of the following particulate matter sizes is small enough to lodge deep in the respiratory tract and is considered the most dangerous to human health?

PM₂.₅

Which air pollutant is most associated with bioaccumulation in fish?

Mercury (Hg)

Which of the following pollutants is primarily emitted from vehicle exhaust and contributes to smog formation?

Nitrogen oxides (NOx)

Which air pollutant is not directly harmful to human health but is a major greenhouse gas affecting climate change?

Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)

Which pollutant is most associated with neurological damage in humans, particularly in children?

Lead (Pb)

Which of the following best describes how CFCs impact the ozone layer?

They break down ozone molecules in the stratosphere, leading to ozone depletion.

How does acid rain form and what is one environmental effect?

Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) react with water and oxygen in the atmosphere to form sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) and nitric acid (HNO₃), which fall as acid rain. Acid rain lowers soil and water pH, harming plant and aquatic life.

How do temperature inversions worsen air pollution?

A layer of warm air traps cooler air and pollutants near the surface, preventing dispersion and leading to higher pollution concentrations.

What is the difference between point source pollution and nonpoint source pollution?

Point source pollution comes from a single identifiable source (e.g., a smokestack), while nonpoint source pollution comes from multiple diffuse sources (e.g., ozone formation from vehicle emissions and VOCs).

How does deforestation contribute to air pollution?

Deforestation reduces carbon sequestration, increasing atmospheric CO₂, which contributes to climate change and worsens air pollution by promoting smog and temperature inversions.

How does mercury enter the environment, and what are its effects?

Mercury is released through coal combustion and mining. It bioaccumulates in fish, leading to neurological damage in humans and disrupting aquatic ecosystems through biomagnification.

What are the six criteria pollutants

Particulate Matter (PM), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂), Ozone (O₃), Lead (Pb)