Air pollution apes

Radon

A leading cause of lung cancer in the United States

C. 1.9 times more effective

A. 0.33 times more effective B. 0.53 times more effective C. 1.9 times more effective D. 3 times more effective

D. Carbon monoxide impairs the transport of oxygen in the bloodstream.

A. Carbon monoxide improves oxygen transport in mammals. B. Oxygen saturation prevents the body from absorbing carbon monoxide from the air. C. Oxygen saturation enhances the uptake of carbon monoxide from the air. D. Carbon monoxide impairs the transport of oxygen in the bloodstream.

A. The release of aluminum ions from soil

Acid deposition would most likely result in which of the following? A. The release of aluminum ions from soil B. An increase in populations of mollusks C. The death of species tolerant of low pH levels D. An increase in buffering of lake water by sulfates E. An increase in the pH of unbuffered water

D. The burning of fossil fuels

Acid rain is associated with which of the following? A. Formation of the antarctic ozone hole B. Release of PCBs into the atmosphere C. Damage to tropical rain forests D. The burning of fossil fuels E. The increasing pH of lake waters

Montreal Protocol

Addressed the issue of stratospheric ozone depletion

B. Carbon monoxides and hydrocarbons

Catalytic converters reduce which of the following pairs of pollutants in car exhaust? A. Carbon dioxide and ozone B. Carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons C. Carbon dioxide and particulates D. Lead and mercury E. Methane and particulates

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

Chemical compound banned in most countries because of link to stratospheric ozone depletion

Nitrogen oxides (NOx)

Chemical compound that leads to formation of photochemical smog in the troposphere when it reacts with other compounds in the presence of sunlight

Ozone

Considered harmful in the troposphere but beneficial in the stratosphere

C. Cool sea breeze → Warm →Cool

In the figure above, the letters A, B, and C represent the different thermal layers present in an inversion. Which of the following shows the correct sequence of thermal layers as one moves vertically upwards from the surface of Earth? A. Warm sea breeze →Cool →Warm B. Warm sea breeze →Warm →Cool C. Cool sea breeze →Warm → Cool D. Cool sea breeze →Cooler →Coolest

Coal

Is primarily responsible for acid rain in the northeast United States

Los Angeles, California

Of the following cities, which regularly experiences the worst levels of photochemical smog that is enhanced by thermal inversions? A. New York City, New York B. Los Angeles, California C. Portland, Oregon D. Atlanta, Georgia E. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Sudden or persistent noise may lead to permanent hearing loss.

Of the following, which is true of noise pollution? A. Noise pollution is an insignificant occupational hazard. B. Noise at 100 decibels has twice the energy of noise at 50 decibels. C. Hearing damage occurs most quickly when the intensity level of the sound is low. D. In urban areas, few individuals are exposed to noise pollution. E. Sudden or persistent noise may lead to permanent hearing loss.

B. Electrostatic precipitators

Particulates can be removed from smokestack emissions by which of the following methods? A. Irradiation by UV light B. Electrostatic precipitators C. Catalytic converters D. Liquid chromatography E. Exhaust-stream aeration

well-insulated homes

The danger from radon gas would most likely be greatest in

B. Concentrations for component C would be higher throughout the graph.

The data that were used to create this graph were collected in the winter. Which of the following best describes how the graph would be different if the data were collected in the middle of the summer? A. The peaks for every data line would be at a lower concentration. B. Concentrations for component C would be higher throughout the graph. C. Concentrations for all the data lines would be the horizontal throughout the day. D. Components A, B, and D would peak in the afternoon instead of in the morning.

industry, transportation, and energy production

The three main anthropogenic sources of gaseous air pollutants in the United States are

B. The highway noise is interfering with bats' echolocation, preventing them from successfully locating and catching prey as they fly.

Bats use echolocation to find prey by emitting high-pitched bursts of sound and analyzing the reflection. Scientists studying a population of bats in a forest observed that their population size had declined in the years following the completion of a nearby highway. Based on the information above, which of the following best explains how noise pollution from the highway has affected the size of the bat population? A. The highway noise is decreasing the bats' echolocation, allowing them to catch more prey each night. B. The highway noise is interfering with bats' echolocation, preventing them from successfully locating and catching prey as they fly. C. The highway noise is producing sound waves that disrupt air flow, preventing the bats from flying at night. D. The highway noise is attracting more bats to the forest, causing an increase in intraspecies competition.

Motor vehicle exhaust

Ground-level ozone in most major United States cities results primarily from

Lead

Implicated in human neurological damage

C. I and III only

Important factors that contribute to smog formation in the Los Angeles basin include which of the following? I. Ample summer sunshine II. Sea-level elevation III. High concentration of automobiles

D. add calcium carbonate to the pond water

In 1950 the pH of the pond water was 8.2, but by 2000 the pH had decreased to 5.2. An effective short-term remediation strategy for the pond would be to A. build taller smokestacks downwind from the pond B. prevent fertilizer runoff from entering the pond C. periodically stock the pond with brown trout D. add calcium carbonate to the pond water E. use tertiary wastewater-treatment protocols

B. Catalytic converter

Increased use of which of the following technologies would cause the greatest reduction in the primary source of photochemical smog? A. Electrostatic precipitator B. Catalytic converter C. Carbon sequestration D. Methane collection system

A. Coal ash contains toxic levels of several different pollutants, so when it is collected and stored long-term in coal ash ponds, there is increased risk of exposure to toxic metals.

Industrial scrubbers and electrostatic precipitators collect enormous amounts of particulate matter (coal ash) at coal-burning power plants. Which of the following best describes an environmental disadvantage of using industrial scrubbers and electrostatic precipitators for pollution abatement? A. Coal ash contains toxic levels of several different pollutants, so when it is collected and stored long-term in coal ash ponds, there is increased risk of exposure to toxic metals. B. Coal ash is highly flammable, and it is very hazardous to ship the materials to hazardous waste landfills. C. Industrial scrubbers and electrostatic precipitators cannot remove fine particles like dust and smoke from the waste, so a secondary measure must be used. D. Industrial scrubbers and electrostatic precipitators are very costly to install and increase the cost of operating coal-burning power plants, leading to increased costs for consumers.

Particulates

Is the major pollutant that electrostatic precipitators are designed to remove from power-plant smokestack emissions

Sulfur dioxide

Most often cited as the causative factor for acid deposition

C. Install electrostatic precipitators at the plant.

Over a three-year period, a city's environmental protection department measured the particulate matter (PM2.5) in a ten-square-mile area around one of the city's coal-fired power plants. The annual mean level of PM2.5 measured was 20.0μgm3 over the three-year study period. The National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for PM2.5 is an annual mean level of 12.0μgm3, averaged over three years. The city instructs the manager of the power plant to propose a plan to aid the city in meeting the NAAQS for PM2.5 in the area around the power plant over the next ten years. Which of the following would be the most effective plan for the manager to propose to the city? A. Install catalytic converters at the plant. B. Install vapor recovery nozzles at the plant. C. Install electrostatic precipitators at the plant. D. Burn lignite coal instead of bituminous coal at the plant.

C. Disruption of photosynthesis in plants

Stratospheric ozone depletion is most likely to result in which of the following? A. Increased growth of food crops due to increasing amounts of ultraviolet radiation B. Extended grazing season for cattle C. Disruption of photosynthesis in plants D. Increased movement of the human population toward equatorial regions E. A higher percentage of cloudless days

Antarctic spring (October)

The drop in stratospheric ozone levels in the Southern Hemisphere (the "ozone hole") is most evident during which season?

coal-burning power plants

The majority of atmospheric mercury is produced by

A. Limestone

The presence of which of the following in soil is most likely to neutralize acid rain? A. Limestone B. Granite C. Sand D. Radon E. Humus

B. burning of sulfur-containing fossil fuels to produce electricity

The primary cause of acid precipitation in the northeastern United States is A.the large number of automobile air conditioners leaking Freon B. burning of sulfur-containing fossil fuels to produce electricity C. deforestation, which reduces the number of trees removing atmospheric CO2 D. strip-mining, which releases large quantities of particulates into the atmosphere E. global warming, which speeds the chemical reactions that produce acids

Inversion

What important phenomenon that often plays a role in air pollution episodes is illustrated in the diagram above?

C.

Which of the curves on the graph depicts the concentration of ozone, which requires sunlight to form? A. A B. B. C. C. D. D.

A and B

Which of the different components of smog depicted in the graph are most likely released from automobile exhaust? A. A and B B. B and C C. A, B, and C D. B, C, and D

B. Reducing use of fossil fuels

Which of the following actions would be the most effective in decreasing acid rain and acid deposition problems? A. Using higher smokestacks B. Reducing use of fossil fuels C. Developing acid-resistant crops D. Adding lime to acidified lakes E. Relocating power plants to areas of lower population density

C. Sulfur oxides . . acid deposition

Which of the following air pollutants is correctly paired with one of its major effects? A. Particulates . . production of photochemical smog B. Radon . . global climate change C. Sulfur oxides . . acid deposition D. Lead . . skin cancer E. Carbon oxides . . ozone layer depletion

E. CO2, NOx, and VOCs

Which of the following are direct products of the use of hydrocarbon fuels in automobile engines? A. O, N, and CO B. CO, Ar, and O3 C. CO2, H2O, and O3 D. CO2, O3, and Pb E. CO2, NOx, and VOCs

D. Introduced regulatory measures to control the amount of lead in fuels

Which of the following best describes one way the Clean Air Act helped reduce air pollution? A. Implemented a program to manage hazardous and nonhazardous wastes B. Proposed incentives for countries to reduce carbon emissions C. Created a fund to aid developing countries in reducing ozone-depleting emissions D. Introduced regulatory measures to control the amount of lead in fuels

A. HFCs and HCFCs have lower ozone-depleting potentials than CFCs do.

Which of the following best describes the advantage of using hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) or hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) to replace chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in industrial processes? A. HFCs and HCFCs have lower ozone-depleting potentials than CFCs do. B. HFCs and HCFCs are more stable than CFCs are in the atmosphere. C. HFCs and HCFCs are not classified as greenhouse gases but CFCs are. D. HFCs and HCFCs are less expensive to produce than CFCs are.

D. CFCs led to the destruction of stratospheric ozone.

Which of the following best identifies the reason that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were banned in 1996 by the Montreal Protocol? A. CFCs increased acid deposition in northern latitudes. B. CFCs increased the rates of cancer in workers in mining operations. C. CFCs led to a spike in the number of respiratory illnesses diagnosed in children. D. CFCs led to the destruction of stratospheric ozone.

B. Some type of hydrofluorocarbons are greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change.

Which of the following describes a negative effect of substituting hydrofluorocarbons (HCFCs) for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in an effort to reduce ozone depletion? A. Hydrofluorocarbons are prohibitively expensive to produce and are not widely used in industry. B. Some type of hydrofluorocarbons are greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change. C. Hydrofluorocarbons can interact with NOx and VOCs in the troposphere to produce photochemical smog. D. High levels of hydrofluorocarbons in the stratosphere can lead to physiological stress and decreased growth in plants.

C. Photochemical smog formation in the troposphere

Which of the following environmental problems is most often linked to the combustion of fossil fuels? A. Cultural eutrophication in surface waters B. Thermal inversions in mountainous coastal areas C. Photochemical smog formation in the troposphere D. Ozone thinning in the stratosphere

B. Ozone depletion in the stratosphere

Which of the following has most directly resulted in increased skin cancer rates in Australia? A. Water pollution in the Antarctic Ocean B. Ozone depletion in the stratosphere C. Increased immigration of Asian people into Australia D. The occurrence of a solar maximum E. Global warming in the lower atmosphere

B. Disposal of refrigerators and air conditioners

Which of the following human activities is most closely associated with depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer? A. Mining of coal B. Disposal of refrigerators and air conditioners C. Heating of homes and factories D. Generation of electricity E. Agricultural irrigation

D. Increased incidence of lung cancer

Which of the following is a human health impact associated with exposure to radon gas inside homes or other buildings? A. Acute health effects such as skin burns from high levels of radioactivity B. Transmission of pathogens from mother to fetus C. Increased occurrence of developmental disorders in children D. Increased incidence of lung cancer

B. An increase in pollutants trapped at Earth's surface, which increases the number of cases of human respiratory problems

Which of the following is a problem that is associated with a thermal inversion? A. An increase in UV radiation reaching Earth's surface, which can damage plant tissue and decrease crop yield B. An increase in pollutants trapped at Earth's surface, which increases the number of cases of human respiratory problems C. A decrease in the release of carbon dioxide from warmer air temperatures at the Earth's surface, which accelerates global climate change D. A decrease in evaporation rates over the ocean, which increases potential for more severe thunderstorms and hurricanes

D. Wet-scrubber units

Which of the following is used to reduce SO2 emissions from coal-burning power plants? A. Catalytic converters B. Ultrafine mechanical filters C. Electrostatic precipitators D. Wet-scrubber units E. Afterburners

D. Perform the experiment on a larger sample size of mice.

Which of the following modifications would improve the validity of the investigation? A. Determine the oxygen saturation at carbon monoxide levels higher than 80%. B. Add a different number of plants to each habitat to add oxygen to the setup. C. Compare the oxygen saturation of mice at rest to that of mice that are active. D. Perform the experiment on a larger sample size of mice.

C. Chlorine

Which of the following substances is released by CFC's and catalyzes a chain reaction that breaks down ozone in the upper atmosphere? A. Carbon monoxide B. Carbon dioxide C. Chlorine D. Sulfur dioxide E. Methane

D. Decrease in the emissions of nitrogen oxides

Which of the following would most likely reduce the concentration of ground-level ozone in the air of a city? A. Release of CFCs into the air of the city B. Occurrence of several consecutive days of sunny weather C. Formation of a temperature inversion D. Decrease in the emissions of nitrogen oxides E. Release of VOCs into the air of the city

Coal-burning

Which type of electricity-generating power plant releases radioactive materials as well as toxic metals such as lead and arsenic under normal operating conditions?