Untitled Flashcards Set

Name _________________________________________ Date ______________________ Period ______

Do you understand the Big Ideas for Transportation

in the Ecological Footprints Unit

Use your textbook, notes, labs, and other resources from the class to thoroughly answer these questions. Remember that these answers will be one of your main study materials for the AP test in May, so the more complete your answers are, the more helpful they will be to you months from now. If information on the question is available in your textbook, the page numbers are in parenthesis after the question. 

After answering all of the questions in this Big Idea review sheet, use the tools provided in your textbook to make sure that you understand how all of the topics are interconnected.  Use the visual representation, key terms, practice multiple choice, and practice free response questions at the end of the module in the textbook to make sure that you have a thorough understanding of the topics.

27. Sketch the layers of the atmosphere. Describe the troposphere and stratosphere. Where is the ozone layer located? (from textbook page 262)

Troposphere: A layer of the atmosphere closest to the surface of Earth extending up to approximately 16 km 

Stratosphere: The layer of the atmosphere above the troposphere, extending roughly 16 to 59 km above the surface of the earth. 

The Ozone layer is located in the stratosphere

28. List the natural sources of air pollution. (from textbook pages 508-509)

Volcanoes, lightning strikes, forest fires, and decomposition  

29. Differentiate between primary and secondary air pollutants. (from textbook page 499-500)

 Primary: A polluting compound that comes directly out of a smokestack, exhaust pipe, or natural emission source 

Secondary: A primary pollutant that has undergone transformation in the presence of sunlight, water, oxygen, or other compounds

30. Describe the Clean Air Act of 1970. What are primary and secondary standards (from class notes)

Clean Air Act of 1970:

• Landmark environmental law that regulates air pollution on a national level

• Passed to address growing concerns about environmental and public health impacts from air pollution

• Gave EPA authority to establish and enforce air quality standards 

• Aims to reduce pollutants such as particulate matter, SO2, NOx, CO, O3, and Lead

Primary standards: are designed to protect human health by limiting the concentration of air pollutants in the atmosphere. They focus particularly on protecting vulnerable groups like children, the elderly, and individuals with respiratory conditions from both short-term and long-term exposure to harmful pollutants.

Secondary standards: aim to protect the environment, addressing non-health impacts like damage to wildlife, crops, and buildings. They help prevent environmental harm, such as reduced visibility and ecosystem degradation, ensuring that air quality supports both nature and human infrastructure.

31. Describe each of the following air pollutants. Include their source and their impacts on human health and the environment. (from class activity and textbook pages 496-499)

    1. Sulfur oxides, SO_x

Source: Combustion of fuels that contain sulfur, including coal, oil, gasoline 

Effect: Respiratory irritant, can exacerbate asthma and other respiratory ailments 

Converts to sulfuric acid in atmosphere, which is harmful to aquatic life and some vegetation 

2. Nitrogen oxides,  NO_x

Source: All combustion in the atmosphere including fossil fuel combustion, wood, and other biomass burning 

Effects: Respiratory irritant, increases susceptibility to respiratory infection

An ozone precursor, leads to formation of photochemical smog

Converts to nitric acid in atmosphere, which is harmful to aquatic life and some vegetation

Contributes to over fertilization of terrestrial and aquatic systems
 

3. Carbon monoxide

Source: Incomplete combustion of any kind 

Malfunctioning exhaust systems and poorly ventilated cooking fires

Effects: Bonds to hemoglobin, therefore interfering with oxygen transport in the bloodstream 

Causes headaches at low concentrations 

Can cause death with prolonged exposure at high concentrations 

4. Carbon dioxide

Sources: Combustion of fossil fuels and clearing of land 

Effects: Affects climate and alters ecosystems by increasing greenhouse gas concentrations 

5. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)

Sources: Evaporation of fuels, solvents, paints

Improper combustion of fuels such as gasoline 

Effects: A precursor to ozone formation 

6. Particulate matter, both PM_2.5 and PM₁₀  

Source: Combustion of coal, oil, and diesel, and of biofuels such as manure and wood 

Agriculture, road construction, and other activities that mobilize soil, soot, and dust 

Effects: Can exacerbate respiratory and cardiovascular disease and reduce lung function 

Many lead to premature death

Reduces visibility and contributes to haze and smog; correlated with heart disease and higher incidence of lung cancer 

7. Lead

Source: Gasoline additive, oil and gasoline, coal, old paint 

Effects: Impairs central nervous system

At low concentrations, can have measurable effects on learning and ability to concentrate 

8. Photochemical smog

Sources: Vehicles emissions, industrial emissions, solvent use, gasoline vapors, natural sources, wildfires

Effects: Respiratory issues, eye irritation, decreased lung function, increased hospital admissions, premature death

9. Industrial smog

Source: Coal burning power plants, factories and manufacturing plants, steel mills, oil refineries, waste incinerators

Effects: Respiratory problems, heart disease, irritation of eyes/nose/throat, reduced lung function increased mortality rates 

10. Ozone depleting chemicals

Sources: CFCs, Halons, carbon tetrachloride, methyl chloroform, HCFCs

Effects: Increased skin cancer risk, eye damage, immune system suppression, premature skin aging, increased sunburns 

32. Indoor air pollutants can be a bigger threat than outdoor air pollutants. List the most common indoor air pollutants and describe their effect on human health issues. (from textbook pages 511-516)

Carbon Monoxide:

• Reduced oxygen delivery 

• Headaches and dizziness 

• Impaired cognitive function 

• Chest pain and cardiovascular stress 

• Loss of consciousness and death 

Smoke 

• Respiratory irritation 

• Reduced lung function 

• Cardiovascular problems 

• Eye irritation 

• Increased cancer risk 

Dust and Mold

• Respiratory issues 

• Allergic reactions 

• Worsen lung conditions 

• Eye irritation 

• Increased risk of infections 

• Asthma attacks 

• Toxic effects 

Asbestos 

• Lung cancer 

• Mesothelioma 

• Pleural thickening 

• Pleural effusion

• Other cancers 

Radon

• Lung cancer 

• No immediate symptoms 

• Increased cancer risk for non smokers 

• Synergistic effect with smoking 

VOCs

• Respiratory irritation 

• Headaches and dizziness 

• Eye, nose, and throat irritation

• Liver and kidney damage

• Increased cancer risk 

• Central nervous system effects

Lead

• Neurological damage

• Anemia

• Kidney damage 

• Reproductive health issues

• Hypertension and cardiovascular effects 

• Hearing loss

• Delayed growth in children 

33. What are the indoor air pollutants of concern in developed countries? Developing countries? (from textbook pages 516-517)

Developed Countries

• VOCs 

• Radon

• Particulate matter

• Carbon monoxide 

• Mold 

• Smoke

Developing countries 

• Biomass smoke

• Carbon monoxide 

• Sick building syndrome 

• Carbon monoxide 

• Particulate matter 

34. Radon-222 is a naturally occurring radioactive gas. It can infiltrate homes as it moves up through the soil and enters homes via the basement or cracks in the walls or foundation. It is also dissolved in groundwater that enters homes through a well. What are the health effects of radon-222? (from textbook page 514)

• Lung cancer 

• No immediate symptoms 

• Increased risk in confined spaces 

• DNA damage 

35. Methods to reduce air pollution include all of the following. Describe each. (from class activity Air Pollution Prevention Stations and textbook pages 523-528)

    1. Reduction at the source (power plant, factory…)

Reducing emissions by modifying industrial processes, using cleaner technology, or optimizing energy use directly at the source where pollution is generated. This can involve using energy-efficient equipment, switching to less polluting materials, or reducing the overall production of pollutants.

2. Regulations (laws)

Governments set and enforce legal limits on the amount of pollution that can be emitted by vehicles, industries, and other sources. These laws often require companies to use pollution control technologies and monitor their emissions.

3. Conservation (using less fuel, electricity…)

Reducing energy consumption by promoting energy-efficient practices and behaviors. This decreases demand for electricity and fuel, thereby reducing emissions from power plants, vehicles, and industrial sources.

4. Alternative fuels

Using cleaner, renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, hydrogen, or biofuels instead of traditional fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas. Alternative fuels typically produce fewer pollutants.

5. Vapor recovery nozzle at gasoline pump

A system that captures gasoline vapors that escape during refueling and prevents them from being released into the air. The vapors are instead returned to the fuel tank or collected for reuse.

6. Catalytic converters

Devices installed in the exhaust systems of vehicles that convert harmful gasses like carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), and hydrocarbons into less harmful substances, such as carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water.

7. Wet and dry scrubbers on industry exhaust streams

Wet scrubbers use a liquid (often water) to trap harmful gasses and particles in exhaust streams, while dry scrubbers use dry chemicals or other materials to neutralize pollutants. Both are used to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO₂), particulate matter, and other pollutants.

8. Electrostatic precipitators

Devices that remove particulate matter (PM) from industrial exhaust by charging the particles and using an electric field to attract them to collecting plates. The particles are then removed from the air stream.

36. Coal often contains heavy metals such as mercury. Bacteria in the water convert it to highly toxic methylmercury. What are the negative effects of the mercury? (from Biomagnification: Should you eat those fish, textbook pages 579-581)

• Neurological damage

• Fetal development risks 

• Impaired cognitive function

• Motor skill impairment 

• Cardiovascular effects 

• Kidney damage 

• Bioaccumulation in food chains 

• Impact on wildlife 

• Ecosystem disruption

• Fish contamination

37. What is a thermal inversion? How can it trap pollution close to the ground? (from class notes and textbook page 507)

Thermal Inversion: 

• A thermal inversion occurs when a layer of warm air traps cooler air near the Earth’s surface, disrupting the normal temperature gradient where air becomes cooler with increasing altitude.

• In normal conditions, warm air near the ground rises, allowing pollutants to disperse into the atmosphere. However, during a thermal inversion, the warm air above acts like a lid, preventing the cooler air and pollutants below from rising.

How it can trap pollution close to the ground:

• Stable air layer

• Increased pollutant concentration

• Prolonged effect

38. Fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, are extracted differently depending on where they are located. Describe how oil is extracted when it is located under the ocean. (from class notes and textbook pages 415, 427)

1. Exploration and surveying 

2. Platform installation

3. Drilling

4. Casing and cementing 

5. Extraction

6. Transportation

7. Well maintenance 

39. Oil spills in marine waters cause organisms to die from various issues. Describe each. (research online)

    1. Hydrocarbons in oil

• Toxic effects on marine life

• Oxygen depletion

• Bioaccumulation 

2. Oil coating the feathers or fur

• Loss of natural insulation and waterproofing abilities 

• Loss of buoyancy 

• Poisoning from ingestion

• Reproductive harm 

3. Some components of oil sinking to the ocean floor, killing some bottom-dwelling organisms

• Sediment contamination

• Toxic exposure 

• Disruption of ecosystems 

40. Some oil from oil spills washes up on beaches. Describe the economic consequences on the fishing and tourism industries. (research online)

• Decline in fish populations

• Contaminated seafood

• Fishing bans and closures

• Restoration costs 

• Decline in beach tourism 

• Reputation damage 

• Lost recreational activities 

• Clean up costs

• Job losses

41. Describe the laws that govern mining: (research online)

    1. Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) 

• Requires coal mining companies to obtain permits and adhere to environmental standards during mining operations.

• Mandates that mining sites be reclaimed after mining is finished, meaning the land must be restored to its original condition or put to a useful post-mining use.

• Establishes a fund, paid into by coal companies, to finance the reclamation of abandoned mine lands that were left unreclaimed before the law was passed.

• Ensures protection of waterways, wildlife habitats, and public health from the adverse effects of surface mining operations.

2. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)

• Requires coal mining companies to obtain permits and adhere to environmental standards during mining operations.

• Mandates that mining sites be reclaimed after mining is finished, meaning the land must be restored to its original condition or put to a useful post-mining use.

• Establishes a fund, paid into by coal companies, to finance the reclamation of abandoned mine lands that were left unreclaimed before the law was passed.

• Ensures protection of waterways, wildlife habitats, and public health from the adverse effects of surface mining operations.

3. Endangered Species Act

• Mining operations must avoid activities that would harm endangered or threatened species or their critical habitats.

• If mining activities might impact an endangered species, the company must consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or National Marine Fisheries Service to assess potential risks and implement conservation measures.

• Mining projects that threaten endangered species may be delayed, modified, or stopped if they fail to comply with the act’s provisions.

4. Clean Air Act

• Sets limits on emissions of pollutants from mining operations, including particulate matter, sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), and hazardous air pollutants.

• Mining operations are required to obtain permits and comply with federal and state air quality standards.

• Implements national standards for emissions from equipment and machinery used in mining operations, such as diesel-powered vehicles and stationary sources like coal processing facilities.

• Requires control measures for dust and emissions from open-pit mining, blasting, and other mining processes to minimize air quality degradation.

42. Describe each of the following and the environmental impacts of each: (from fact finding presentations and textbook pages 344-347)

    1. Surface mining

Surface mining involves removing large sections of earth’s surface to access minerals or coal located near the surface. Common methods include open-pit mining, strip mining, and mountaintop removal.

• Habitat destruction

• Soil erosion

• Water pollution

• Air pollution

• Loss of biodiversity 

2. Subsurface mining 

Subsurface mining involves extracting minerals from deep underground through tunnels or shafts. This method is used for resources that are located deeper in the earth, such as coal, gold, and diamonds.

• Land subsidence 

• Groundwater contamination

• Acid mine drainage 

• Energy-intensive

3. Mineral processing

Mineral processing involves separating valuable minerals from the ore after it has been mined. This includes crushing, grinding, and using various chemical or physical methods to extract the desired minerals (e.g., smelting, flotation, leaching)

• Water pollution

• Waste generation

• Air pollution

• Energy consumption

4. Acid mine drainage

43. Mineral resources are not evenly distributed around the world. How do countries deal with this problem? (from textbook page 342-344)

Acid mine drainage (AMD) occurs when water interacts with exposed sulfur-bearing minerals, particularly pyrite (iron sulfide), during mining activities. This chemical reaction produces sulfuric acid, which then flows into nearby streams, rivers, and groundwater.

• Water pollution

• Ecosystem damage 

• Soil degradation

• Long term impacts