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Air Pollution Vocab

Terms in this set (58)

acid deposition
acid or acid-forming materials that are deposited on biota, land or water surfaces, in either wet or dry form
acid rain
rain with a pH of less than 5.6; results from atmospheric moisture mixing with sulfur and nitrogen oxides emitted from the burning of fossil fuels; may cause damage to buildings, car finishes, crops, forests and aquatic life; one form of acid deposition
air pollution
air-borne substances, either not found in the normal composition of air or at above normal levels, that can harm living organisms and/or other materials or resources
air pollution index
a description pf the concentration of specific types of air pollution present in the ambient air; known as the "PSI Index", pollutant standards index in the U.S.
air quality
a comparison of the composition of the air we breathe to an uncontaminated air resource or to air objectives
Air Quality Index
a specific air pollution index used in Canada to characterize air quality
ambient air
the outside air that surrounds us; the air that we breathe
atmosphere
the invisible gas layers that surround the earth
biological contaminents
materials not normally found in air, water, or soil that originate from living or dead biological sources (e.g., dust mites, pollen
Biological magnification
The mechanism by which chemicals become more and more concentrated as they are transferred along the food chain
carbon dioxide
a colorless, odorless, toxic gas, CO2, formed during respiration, combustion, and organic decomposition; considered the major greenhouse gas
carbon monoxide
a colorless, odorless, toxic gas produced primarily by incomplete burning of fuel: fossil fuels, wood, or other carbon-containing materials
chlorofluorocarbons
a group of chemicals used for a wide variety of products such as aerosols and refrigerants; thought to cause loss of ozone from the upper atosphere
Clean Air Act
provides for regulations to control air pollution in the U.S. through state and federal actions and gives regulatory and enforcement powers to the federal government; passed by U.S. Congress in 1970, amended in 1977 and 1990
climate
the combined effect of temperature, precipitation, other atmospheric factors, and their yearly patterns on a large are of the earth's surface
contaminent
impurity or other inclusions in air, water, or land resources that affects the normal use of that resource. High levels air contaminants lead to air
criteria pollutants
six major air pollutants designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as harmful to human health and general public welfare when above specific levels: carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, photochemical oxidants (ozone); lead; and, particulate matter less than 10 microns in size
dry deposition
deposit of dry, acid or acid-forming materials on the Earth's surface
ecology
the study of the interactions between living organisms and their enviroment
electrostatic precipitator
an air pollution control device that removes particulate matter from a stream of air, using electrical attraction
emission standard
limit on the amount of air pollutant that can be released into the air from a particular source or source category/type
Environment Canada
Canadian government department in of enforcement of air quality regulations
Environmental Protection Agency
A United States agency responsible for managing federal efforts to control air and water pollution; solid waste disposal, radiation and pesticide hazards, and other environmental concerns
Fly ash
Airborne solid particles that result from the burning of coal and other solid fuel
Food chain
A representation of interactions between all living parts of the ecosystem and their dependence on one another for food
Fossil fuel
Any combustible carbon based fuel that is the result of organic deposits of the distant geological past- natural gas, coal, oil
Fungi
Plants that have no chlorophyll and are dependent on other organisms or on dead or decaying organic materials for food. Molds, mildew, and mushrooms are examples of fungi
Greenhouse effect
The warming of the atmosphere caused by the build-up of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Visible light from the sun comes through the gases, but the gases prevent the return of the energy, now in the form of heat, to the outer atmosphere
Hazardous waste
Any waste or combination of wastes that creates a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or living organisms
Heavy metals
Metallic elements (e.g., Mercury, chromium, cadmium, and lead) that can damage living organisms at low concentrations and tend to accumulate in the food chain
Hydrocarbons
Any of a large family of chemical compounds that contain only carbon and hydrogen; the most harmful hydrocarbons r produced by incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and evaporated solvents
Lead
A heavy metal that has been identified as a criteria pollutant because of its toxic effect in small quantities on living organisms
Legionnaire's Disease
A disease caused by bacterium spread in air conditioning and ventilation ducts. First recognized at a convention of the American Legion in Philadelphia in 1976. It is an indoor air quality problem. It does not occur in the ambient (outdoor) air
Lichen
Plant-like structures composed of fungi and algae growing so closely together that they look like one organism. Lichen are very sensitive to damage by air pollution:
Meteorology
The climatic (or weather) conditions of a land area; a science that deals with the atmosphere, especially weather and weather forecasting
National Environmental Policy Act
An act that requires environmental impact statements be submitted for any major construction project that uses U.S. federal money
National Ambient Air Quality Standards
U.S. Federal government standards for the acceptable amount of criteria pollutants allowed in the ambient air
Nitrogen oxides
A general term for nitrogen and oxygen compounds/gases that result from the burning of fossil fuels; a major component of acid rain
Organic compound
Any compound or material containing carbon
Ozone
A colorless gas composed of three atoms of oxygen. High in the atmosphere, the ozone layer protects us from harmful ultraviolet radiation. At ground level, ozone is considered a pollutant because breathing it can irritate the lungs
Ozone hole
An area in the stratosphere over the Antarctic where the ozone concentration appears to be getting thinner. This is a concern because the ozone layer shields the earth from ultraviolet radiation
Ozone layer
Layer of ozone gas in the stratosphere; absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation
Particulate matter
Tiny particles of solid matter and/or liquid droplet that are small enough to remain suspended in air
pH
A measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution; the pH scale ranges from 0 to 14 where 7 is neutral and values less than 7 are acidic and values greater than 7 are basic or alkaline; pH is an inverted logarithmic scale so that every unit decrease in pH means a 10-fold increase in hydrogen ion concentration. Thus a pH of 3 is 10 times as acidic as a pH of 4 and 100 times as acidic as a pH of 5
Photochemical oxidants
Chemicals created when sunlight interacts with airborne chemicals. Ozone is a major photochemical oxidant
Pollutant
Any substance that changes air, water, or other resources in such a way that use of that resource is impaired
Pollutant Standards Index
Standardized index used in the U.S. to report air pollution levels
Precipitation
Water in the form of rain, snow, hail, or fog that originates in the air and falls on the earth's surface
Radon
A naturally occurring colorless, odorless, radioactive gas
Smog
A visible combination of water vapor and a variety of air pollutants including smoke, fly ash, and/or gaseous pollutants such as ozone
Stratosphere
The layer of the atmosphere overlying the troposphere to about 50 kilometers in altitude; the ozone layer is in the stratosphere
Sulfur dioxide
A toxic gas that results from the burning of fossil fuels that contain sulfur; sulfur dioxide is a major component of acid rain
Topography
The physical characteristics of a land area, such as hills and valleys
Toxic substance
Any substance that causes death or damage to humans, animals, or plants; dependent on dose level since most substances are toxic if ingested in excess
Troposphere
The layer of the atmosphere gases closest to the earth's surface extending to an altitude of 10-15 kilometers
Ultraviolet radiation
Short wavelength radiation from the sun; increasing amounts of ultraviolet radiation increase the risk of cancer
Volatile Organic Compounds
Chemical compounds made up of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and other atoms that can form gases easily. They are found in nature as well as in glue, paint, solvents, gasoline, tobacco smoke, pesticides and clothes that have been dry cleaned. VOCs help in the formation of ground-level ozone which is a main component of smog
Weather
The conditions and characteristics of the atmosphere during short periods of time such as a day or a week
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