Environmental Science Chapter 12 & 13 Study Guide

Which of the following reduce(s) CO2 in the atmosphere? a. phytoplankton b. tropical rain forests c. oceans d. all of the above

d. all of the above

Name 5 primary air pollutants and their source

Carbon Monoxide (CO) ~> vehicles,industrial processes Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) ~> vehicles, power plants, industrial processes Sulfur Dioxide (SOx) ~> chemical interactions between sulfur and oxygen Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) ~>burning fuels Particulate Matter (particles or PM) ~> construction, agriculture, forestry, fires

International agreement to limit CFC production

Montreal Protocol

How does smog form?

Smog forms by automobile exhaust reacting with air to form ozone. Then, the ozone reacts with automobile exhaust to form smog.

VOCs

Volatile Organic Compounds ~> organic chemicals that vaporize readily and from toxic fumes

Greenhouse Gases

a gas composed of molecules that absorb and radiate infrared radiation from the sun

Global Warming

a gradual increase in average global temperature

pH ( power of hydrogen)

a measure of how acidic or basic a substance is

Primary Pollutant

a pollutant that is put directly into the air by human activity

Ozone Hole

a thinning of stratospheric ozone that occurs over the poles during the spring

Ozone holes appear in polar regions during springtime when ozone-destroying a. chlorine atoms are released from polar stratospheric clouds b. chlorine atoms are captured by polar stratospheric clouds c. CFCs are synthesized on polar stratospheric clouds d. CFCs magnify ultraviolet light

a. chlorine atoms are released from polar stratospheric clouds

What is not a consequence of acid precipitation? a. increase in the pH of soil and water b. the death of aquatic plants and animals c. the destruction of calcium carbonate in building materials d. a change in the balance of coil chemistry

a. increase in the pH of soil and water

Climate in a region is a. long term, prevailing atmospheric conditions b. determined only by seasonal daylight hours c. the atmospheric conditions on a given day d. never affected by ocean currents

a. long term, prevailing atmospheric conditions

Acid precipitation is formed when a. sulfur oxides or nitrogen oxides combine with water b. sulfur oxides combine with nitrogen oxides c. ozone combines with automobile exhaust d. nitric or sulfuric acids combine with ozone

a. sulfur oxides or nitrogen oxides combine with water

Ozone Layer

an area in the stratosphere where the ozone is highly concentrated

Kyoto Protocol

an international treaty according to which developed countries that signed the treaty agree to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases that may contribute to global warming by 2012

An increase in the pH of lake would most likely indicate a. the lake suffers from acid shock b. calcium carbonate has been released into the lake c. the area in which the lake is located suffers from acid precipitation d. higher than average sulfur oxide levels in the atmosphere

b. calcium carbonate has been released into the lake

Which of the following is an example of a primary pollutant? a. ground-level ozone b. soot from smoke c. radon d. all of the above

b. soot from smoke

Oil refineries and gasoline stations are both sources of a. particulate matter b. volatile organic compounds c. smog d. all of the above

b. volatile organic compounds

Sick-Building Syndrome

buildings that have very poor air quality

Ozone in the stratosphere a. causes skin cancer b. prevents DNA repair c. absorbs UV light d. destroys CFCs

c. absorbs UV light

Which of the following would be a potential cause of sick-building syndrome? a. acid precipitation b. smog c. fungi d. all of the above

c. fungi

Latitude strongly influences climate because_______________solar energy falls on areas that are closer to the equator than to the poles. a. less b. the same amount c. more d. sometimes less

c. more

Uranium-bearing rocks underneath a house can be a source of a. ozone b. asbestos c. radon d. formaldehyde

c. radon

The average global temperature has __________ during the 20th century. a. remained the same b. increased every year c. risen some years and fallen some years but has increased overall d. risen some years and fallen other years but has decreased overall

c. risen some years and fallen some years but has increased overall

Once in the atmosphere, CFCs a. quickly become harmless b. destroy ozone for only a short time c. persist but stop destroying ozone d. persist and continue to destroy ozone for decades

d. persist and continue to destroy ozone for decades

During a temperature inversion, a. sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides combine with water in the atmosphere b. an influx of acid water causes a rapid change in the pH of water c. levels of ground-level ozone decrease d. pollutants are trapped near Earth's surface

d. pollutants are trapped near Earth's surface

Catalytic converters, scrubbers, and electrostatic precipitators are examples of a. technologies used to treat sick-building syndrome b. technologies used to counteract the effects of acid precipitation c. technologies used to capture radon gas d. technologies used to control pollution emissions

d. technologies used to control pollution emissions

Which of the following gases is most responsible for the greenhouse effect? a. nitrous oxide b. methane c. oxygen d. water vapor

d. water vapor

Secondary Pollutant

formed when primary pollutants react with other primary pollutants or with naturally occuring substances such as water vapor

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

hydrocarbons in which some or all of the hydrogen atoms are replaced by chlorine and fluorine; used in coolants for refrigerators and air conditioners and in cleaning solvents; their use is restricted because they destroy ozone molecules in the stratosphere

What are 2 major sources of air pollution in urban areas?

motor vehicles and industries

Acid Precipitation

precipitation such as rain, sleet, or snow that contains a high contentration of acids

Temperature Inversion

the atmospheric condition in which warm ari traps cooler air near Earth's surface

Air Pollution

the result of harmful substances that build up in the air to unhealthy levels

Acid Shock

the sudden influx of acid water that causes a rapid change in the water's pH

Smog

when air pollution hangs over urban areas and reduce visibility