APES Unit 7 Important Terms

My teacher added 9.1/9.2/9.4 into Unit 7

Air Pollution (7.1)

The contamination of the environment /atmosphere due to chemicals

Air Pollutants (7.1)

The specific molecules/particles that cause air pollution (Write air pollutants instead of general air pollution in FRQ)

What’s the difference between air pollutants and greenhouse gases? (7.1)

Air pollutants are substances that contaminate the air. (Ex: PM) Greenhouse gases absorb and trap heat. (Ex: CO2 is not an air pollutant but is a greenhouse gas)

Coal Combustion (7.1)

The process of burning coal which releases air pollutants such as carbon dioxide and PM. (Causes respiratory issues and acid precipitation)

NOx (7.1)

Nitrogen oxide (NO) and Nitrogen Dioxide (No2) that form due to combustion (Causes respiratory issues and photochemical smog)

Respiratory Irritant (7.1)

Any substance that affects breathing (Lungs, nose, mouth, etc)

What’s the difference between a primary and secondary air pollutant? (7.1)

Primary pollutants are emitted directly from a source which secondary pollutants form when primary reacts in the atmosphere

Photochemical Smog (7.2)

A mixture of pollutants in the form of a brown haze is created due to VOCs’ reaction to sunlight

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s/Hydrocarbons) (7.2)

When No2 is broken by sunlight & free O binds to O2

What are the effects of VOC’s/Hydrocarbons? (7.2)

They are a respiratory irritant and prevent plant growth.

When is photochemical smog more likely to form? (7.2)

The summer because there’s more sunlight

Thermal Inversion (7.3)

When a warm layer on top of a cold layer prevents tall clouds and precipitation

Precipitation (7.3)

Water from the atmosphere/clouds such as rain, snow, hail

Urban Heat Island Effect (7.3)

Urban areas have higher temperatures due to the dense surfaces that prevent the natural land and plants from absorbing heat

What are the effects of thermal inversion? (7.3)

It traps air pollutants closer to earth, causes respiratory/photosynthesis issues and decreases tourism revenue

Does warm or cold air rise? (7.3)

Warm air

What are natural sources of air pollutants? (7.4)

Plants, forest fires, lightning and volcanoes

What are natural sources of PM? (Particulate matter) (7.4)

Respiration, Ash, Sea salt, Anaerobic & Aerobic Decomposition

Particulate Matter (PM) (7.4)

Water/solid particles suspended in air

What is the danger of smaller PM? (7.4)

Small PM can enter the body and cause health issues, death, respiratory disease and cancer

Why do developing countries have more air pollution indoors? (7.4)

People use subsistence fuels with poor ventilation which traps the pollutants inside.

Subsistence Fuels (7.4)

Wood, charcoal, animal waste and other sources gathered from natural land

Carbon Monoxide (CO) (7.4)

A substance produced by incomplete combustion (Any fuel)

Radon Gas (7.4)

Gas released by uranium decay causes lung cancer

Dust/Mold

Natural indoor air pollutants that cause respiratory issues

Lead (7.4)

A chemical element found in paint in older homes (EPA banned in 1978)

How can we reduce emissions? (7.5)

Reduce air pollutants by using renewable energy, public transportation, conserving electricity, eating less meat, etc

1970 Clean Air Act (7.5)

Federal law that regulated air pollutants giving the government the ability to monitor and tax/sue corporations that don’t follow

What’s the importance of a baghouse filter? (7.5)

It traps PM from combustion/industrial air

Acid Rain (7.7)

Any precipitation with acidic components (Sulfuric/Nitric acid)

Higher acidity = _________________ (7.7)

Higher H+ ion + lower pH

What are the effects of acid rain? (7.7)

Acid rain causes soil/water acidification and ruin buildings

How can you neutralize acid rain? (7.7)

Limestone or decrease NOx and SO2

Noise Pollution (7.8)

Any noise loud enough to affect hearing or cause bodily stress (headaches, hearing loss, confusion)

How does noise pollution affect land wildlife? (7.8)

It interrupts animal communication/migration and can also damage their hearing. It can also effect them from hunting food or locating their communities.

How does noise pollution affect aquatic wildlife? (7.8)

Ship engines/military sonars/seismic surveying interrupt communication, navigation and cause damage to hearing

Stratospheric Ozone (9.1)

An ozone layer that absorbs UVC and UV-B radiation from the sun

What’s UVC and UV-B? (9.1)

They are forms of ultra violet radiation from the sun

What are the benefits of the stratosphere? (9.1)

It prevents skin cancer from sunlight

How does ozone absorb radiation? (9.1)

UVC breaks O2 into 2 free oxygen atoms

Anthropogenic (9.1)

Environmental change due to human activity

Anthropogenic Ozone Depletion (9.1)

It’s caused by Increased use of CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons) and UV radiation which breaks down O3

How is ozone depletion caused naturally? (9.1)

The melting of ice in the Artic create polar stratospheric clouds (PSC) which break down O3

How can ozone depletion be reduced? (9.2)

Reduce O3 depletion by reducing and replacing CFCs

1987 Montreal Protocol (9.2)

A global agreement to phase out CFCs due to a large hole in the earth’s ozone layer at the time

Why is the sea levels rising? (9.4)

Thermal expansion because of greenhouse gases melting ice sheets/glacial ice

How do rising sea levels impact the environment? (9.4)

It can flood coastal ecosystems and species that rely on the artic are in danger

How do rising sea levels impact humans? (9.4)

It would cause the relocation of humans, increase floods and salt water contamination.

How does climate change affect diseases? (9.4)

The increase in warmer temperatures expands the range to more of the world, more people are at risk in areas that used to be too cold