Chapter 15 Air Pollution: Causes, Effects, & Stratospheric Ozone Depletion
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31 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Air pollution | the contamination of the atmosphere by the introduction of pollutants from human and natural sources. |
| Sulfur Dioxide | a colorless toxic gas (SO2) that occurs in the gases from volcanoes |
| Nitrogen Oxides | formed with high temperature, can make the body vulnerable to respiratory conditions, lung disease, and cancer. Contributes to brown haze and acid rain |
| Carbon Oxides | Sources include burning fossil fuels, incomplete combustion. Effects: CO binds to hempglobin reducing the blood's ability to carry Oxygen |
| Particular Matter | Particles that are suspended in the air which could cause serious physical damage. |
| Haze | atmospheric moisture or dust or smoke that causes reduced visibility |
| Photochemical Oxidants | Products of secondary atmospheric reactions, such a smog. |
| Smog | air pollution by a mixture of smoke and fog |
| Chemical Smog | created by nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide |
| Los Angeles Brown smog | photochemical smog dominated by oxidants such as ozone |
| London Type Gray Smog | sulfurous smog is sometimes called gray smog |
| Sulfurous Smog | the burning of coal releases sulfur compounds, dust and smoke particles into the air, creation of burning fossil feuls in power plants |
| Lead And Other Metals | (Pb) trace metal that occurs naturally in rocks and soils |
| Volatile Organic Compounds | Organic chemicals that evaporate readily and exist as gases in the air |
| Primary Pollutants | pollutants that are put directly into the air by human or natural activity. |
| Secondary Pollutants | pollutants that form from chemical reactions that occur when primary pollutants come in contact with other primary pollutants or with naturally occuring substances, such as water vapor. |
| Natural Emissions | volcanoes, lightning, forest fires, and plants release compounds that can be classified as pollutants |
| Anthropogenic Emissions | emissions made by human influence |
| Thermal Inversions | occurs when a layer of warm air settles over a layer of cooler air that lies near the ground. The warm air holds down the cool air and prevents pollutants from rising and scattering. |
| Inversion Layer | A layer of air that is warmer than the air below |
| Acid Deposition | caused by sulfuric and nitric acids resulting in lowered pH of surface waters |
| Smog Reduction | control efforts must be directed toward reducing primary pollutants that contribute to smog |
| Innovative Pollution Control | innovative ways that government control to reduce emission, like restricting odd# plate drivers on certain days, or encouraging carpool |
| Stratospheric Ozone | good ozone, produces oxygen molecules to interact with UV radiation and prevent 95% of it from reaching the surface |
| Chlorofluorocarbons | chemical substance, found mainly in liquid coolants, that damages the earth's protective ozone layer |
| Indoor Air Pollution | Compounds that affect breathing that occur indoors. Examples: woodstove smoke, furnace emissions, formaldehyde, radon, household chemicals |
| Asbestos | a fibrous amphibole |
| Carbon Monoxide | an odorless very poisonous gas that is a product of incomplete combustion of carbon |
| Radon | a radioactive gaseous element formed by the disintegration of radium |
| VOCs In Home Products | many volatile organic compounds are used in building materials, furniture, and home products. one of the most toxic is formaldehyde |
| Sick Building Syndrome | when the majority of a building's occupants experience certain symptoms that vary with the amount of time spent in the building. |
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