FRQ tips

Focus on:
- Land
- Air
- Water
- Animals / ecosystems
Do not include human consequences in this section.
Example: “SOx emissions contribute to acid deposition, which leaches nutrients from soil and harms forest vegetation.”

Discuss aspects related to:
- Humans
- Money
- Jobs
- Costs
- Ecosystem services (especially provisioning services such as air and water filtering)
Example: “Water treatment costs increase because excess nitrates must be removed to make drinking water safe.”

Avoid vague terms in your writing.
- Examples of what NOT to write:
  - "Air pollution"
  - "Water pollution"
  - "Chemicals"
  - "Impacts negatively"
Examples of what to write instead:
- Air: Say, “Particulate matter (PM₂.₅), Carbon monoxide (CO), Nitrogen oxides (NOx), Sulfur oxides (SOx), or Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with a context.”
- Water: Use terms like “Increased turbidity” or “Mercury bioaccumulates in aquatic food webs…”.

Use the formula: Pollutant → What changes → Result to articulate your points.
Example of a poor sentence: “This negatively impacts the environment.”
- Reworked: “Increased turbidity reduces light penetration, which decreases photosynthesis in aquatic plants.”

Memorize this structure:
“The release of [specific pollutant] causes [specific environmental change], which results in [clear consequence].”
Effective example: “The release of nitrogen oxides (NOx) forms ground-level ozone, which damages plant tissue and reduces crop productivity.” This sentence structure can earn full points.

A coal-fired power plant operates near a forested area and a freshwater lake.
a) Identify one specific air pollutant released by coal-fired power plants.
b) Describe one environmental impact of this pollutant on the nearby ecosystem.
c) Describe one economic impact associated with this pollutant.

Air Pollutant: One air pollutant is sulfur dioxide (SO₂).
- Why this earns points: Clearly names a specific pollutant avoiding vague terms.
Environmental Impact: Sulfur dioxide contributes to acid deposition, which lowers pH of soil and surface water. This pH decrease can lead to nutrient leaching from soil and damage plant tissues, reducing forest productivity.
- Why this earns points: Discusses environmental impacts (plants, soil, water) with a clear cause and effect.
Economic Impact: Acid deposition from sulfur dioxide increases costs for water treatment facilities, as additional filtration and chemical treatments are needed to neutralize acidic water before it can be made suitable for drinking.
- Why this earns points: Focuses on human costs and provisioning services regarding water treatment.

Ground-level ozone (O₃) is a secondary air pollutant formed when nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) react in sunlight.
Main sources include cars, power plants, and industrial emissions.
Ground-level ozone is a component of photochemical smog and negatively impacts plants, animals, and ecosystems.

A large city experiences frequent sunny days and heavy automobile traffic.

a) Identify two specific air pollutants released by automobiles that contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone.
b) Describe how ground-level ozone forms in the atmosphere.
c) Explain one environmental impact of increased ground-level ozone on plants or animals.

Air Pollutants: Automobiles release nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Formation of Ground-Level Ozone: Ground-level ozone forms when NOx and VOCs react in the presence of sunlight.
Environmental Impact: Increased ground-level ozone can damage plant leaf tissue, reducing photosynthesis, which decreases primary productivity in ecosystems and affects food availability for herbivores.

A city in a valley experiences frequent temperature inversions that trap air pollutants.

a) Identify one air pollutant commonly found in photochemical smog.
b) Explain how a temperature inversion increases pollutant concentration near the Earth's surface.
c) Describe one economic impact associated with increased air pollution in the city.

Air Pollutant: Ground-level ozone (O₃) is commonly found in photochemical smog.
Mechanism of Temperature Inversion: During a temperature inversion, warm air prevents cooler air from rising, trapping pollutants like ozone and NOx near the ground, leading to increased concentrations.
Economic Impact: Elevated air pollution can result in higher healthcare costs due to respiratory illnesses, increasing medical expenses and lost productivity, negatively affecting the local economy.

Use these phrases for clarity under pressure during tests:
- “One specific air pollutant released is ___ ”
- “This pollutant forms when ___ reacts with ___ in the presence of ___ ”
- “An economic impact includes increased ___ costs due to ___ ”

Nonrenewable energy sources are widely used for electricity generation and transportation.

a) Identify one nonrenewable energy source.
b) Identify one specific pollutant released during the use of this energy source.
c) Describe one environmental impact of this pollutant on ecosystems.
d) Describe one economic impact associated with the use of this energy source.

Nonrenewable Energy Source: Coal.
Specific Pollutant: Coal combustion releases particulate matter (PM) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂).
Environmental Impact: Particulate matter settles on plant leaves, which blocks sunlight and clogs stomata, reducing primary productivity and food availability for herbivorous animals in terrestrial ecosystems.
Economic Impact: While coal is affordable and available, its use leads to increased long-term environmental management costs due to loss of ecosystem services like natural air filtering by vegetation.