environmental science chapter 12/13
first form of clean air act was imposed by who?
King Edward I
What is radon?
a colorless, tasteless, odorless gas. produced by decay of uranium. enters lungs during inhalation. it is the second leading cause of lung cancer
Montreal protocol
a group of nations agreed to take action against the ozone depletion. they agreed to sharply decrease their amount of CFC intake.
primary pollution
a pollutant that is put directly into the air by human activity
ozone hole
a thinning of the stratospheric ozone that occurs over the poles during the spring
what is the increase in concentration of soil and water called
acidification
increased acidity causes what to be released?
aluminum and other toxic metals
air pollution
build up of harmful substances in the air to unhealthy levels
sick building syndrome
buildings that have very poor air quality have a condition. most common in hot places where buildings are tightly sealed to keep out heat
what are effects of acid rain?
can contaminate lakes and kill fish and aquatic life. the fish suffocate. can hurt crops, water, and fish which can hurt the human body. effects in one country can affect other places so it is an international concern
what happens to cool air over the equator
can't sink because hot air is rising below the cool air. air becomes warmer as it descends
what is the major greenhouse gas on earth?
carbon dioxide
what is sound measured in?
decibels
latitude
distance north or south of the equator
light pollution
does not present hazard to human health. does negatively impact our environment. concern focused on light waste
sulfur dioxide
produced by chemical interactions between sulfur and oxygen. comes mostly from burning fossil fuels
acid precipitation
rain, sleet, or snow that contains a high concentration of acids. combination of sulfur and nitrogen with water in the air
what is the main cause of smog?
released by vehicles and industries
what does burning fossil fuels do to the air?
releases sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the air
what do scrubbers do?
remove some of the more harmful substances that would otherwise pollute the air. It's a machine that moves gases through a spray of water that dissolves many pollutants
Kyoto Protocal
requires developed countries to decrease emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
Asbestos
several minerals that form in long, thin fibers and are valued for their strength and resistance to heat. primarily used as an insulator and as a fire retardant.
acid shock
sudden influx of acidic water that causes a rapid change in the water's pH, can kill large amounts of fish and hurt reproductive system
Solar Maxinum
sun emits an increased amount of ultraviolet radiation.
high latitudes
sun hits at oblique angle, temps are lower
climate
the long-term prevailing weather conditions at a particular place based upon records
la nina
the water in eastern pacific is cooler than usual.
what causes seasonal changes in climate?
tilt of earths axis
Smog
when air pollution hangs over urban areas and reduces bility. This is caused by sunlight, air, and automobile exhaust, and ozone
Secondary pollutants
when primary pollutants react with other primary pollutants or with naturally occurring substances such as water vapor
polar stratospheric clouds
when temperatures fall below about -80degrees celsius, high altitude clouds made of water and nitric acid. product of CFCs
prevailing winds
winds that blow predominantly in one direction throughout the year
where is the equator located?
0 degrees celsius
low latitudes
12 hours of sun year round, no summer or winter , temps high year round.
Pacific Decadal Oscillation
20/30 year change in the location of warm and cold water masses in the pacific ocean.
trade winds
30 north to 30 south
westerlies
30-60 north and 30-60 south
normal precipitation pH
5.6
pH of pure water
7
primary air pollutants?
Carbon monoxide, Nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxides, volatile organic compounds, particulate matter
what city often has temperature inversions?
Los angeles, since it is surrounded by 3 mountains (valleys)
What does the Clean Air Act require many industries to use?
Scrubbers
what produces more ozone
UV radiation that warms stratosphere
what country did not ratify the Kyoto protocol?
United States
global warming
average temperature on earth's surface increase
what is the only true zero emission vehicle?
battery opporated
trade winds
belts of winds between 30 degree north and south
Volatile organic compounds
chemicals that vaporize readily and form toxic fumes
what rapidly destroys ozone?
chlorine atoms that have been split by UV rays
Examples of indoor air pollutants?
cigarettes, bleach, gasoline, fungi, radon, methylene chloride, carbon monoxide
What are catalytic converters used for?
clean exhaust gases of pollutants before the pollutants are able to exit the tailpipe
El Nino-southern Osicilation cycle
combo of el nino and la nina
Nitrogen Oxides
combustion temps exceed 538 degrees celsius. comes from burning fuel in vehicles, power plants and industrial boilers
what are long term effects of air pollution?
emphysema, lung cancer,
greenhouse gases
gases that absorb and radiate heat
What was one act the EPA has passed?
gradual elimination of lead in gasoline, and as a result, lead pollution has been reduced by more than 90% in the US
example of a secondary pollutant
ground level ozone
zero emission vehicles
have no tailpipe emissions, no emissions from gasoline, and no emission-control systems, which deteriorate over time.
chlorofluorocarbons
human-made chemicals that damage the ozone layer. they do this by breaking apart in the stratosphere
what is the most effective way to maintain good indoor air quality?
identifying and removing the sources of indoor air pollution
factors that determine climate
latitude, wind, ocean currents, geography, solar and volcanic activity
acid precipitation pH
less than 5
what are consequences of global warming?
melting ice causing rising sea levels, change in global weather patterns changing ocean currents, and could cause a greater number of heat related deaths and could cause an increase in certain diseases like malaria.
el Nino
name given to short-term, periodic change in location of warm and cold water masses in the pacific ocean. causes drought in indonesia and australia. rainfall in southern us
pH
number is a measure of how acidic or basic a substance.
temperature inversion
occurs when the air above is warmer than the air below. this traps pollutants with cooler air
sources of carbon monoxide
odorless, colorless, poisonous gas. cars, trucks, buses, small engines, and some industrial processes
Clean Air Act
passed in 1970, gives the EPA the authority to regulate vehicle emissions in the United States
what is most of the CO2 that is released into the air dissolve in?
plants or ocean
particulate matter
tiny particles of liquid or solid matter. comes from construction, agriculture, forestry, and fires.
many effects of air pollution are short term and reversible. T/F
true
t/f acid preparation can cause a drop in the pH of soil and water
true
Noise pollution
unwanted sound. damages our hearing by destroying cells in our ears. 12% of teens have permanent hearing loss
when solar energy heats the ground......
warm air rises and cooler air rises
what happens to air moving towards the poles?
warms
what are the major greenhouse gases?
water vapor, carbon dioxide, CFC. methane, and nitrous oxide
