Unit 7: APES

Photochemical Smog

An atmospheric condition formed through a combination of weather conditions and pollution, especially from motor vehicle emissions.

Which of the following is most responsible for the change in the emissions of volatile organic compounds ( VOC ) from 1970 to 2020 as shown in the graph?

An increase in air emission standards that began in 1970 that regulated corporate average fuel economy ( CAFECAFE ) standards.

Ways to reduce VOCs

Avoid using VOC-containing products such as organic cleaning solvents.

Coal Combustion

C + O2 = CO2

Which of the following is most likely responsible for the indoor air pollutant shown in the graph?

Cracks in the basement foundation

Which of the following best describes the efficiency of dry scrubbers at removing particles that are less than 2 micrometers in diameter?

Dry scrubbers are less than 10% efficient at removing particles less than 1μm1μm in size.

EPA

Environmental Protection Agency

Which of the following claims is best supported by the evidence provided by the article?

Frog populations may decrease in size as a result of males changing the pitch of their calls.

Which of the following devices is correctly paired to the air pollutant it would be used to measure?

Gas Sensor - CO2

Sources of VOCs

Gasoline evaporation, paints, solvents

Noise pollution sources

Household sources Social Events Transportation

Which of the following claims is best supported by the data shown in the table?

Isoprene's contribution to ozone levels in Berlin was greatest in July of both years.

Based on the data, which of the following months most likely experiences the highest levels of photochemical smog?

July

Which of the following best describes the process shown in the diagram above?

Less-dense, warm air creates a temperature inversion between more-dense layers, trapping pollutants near the ground.

Which of the following best describes how a scientist could accurately study the effects of soil buffering on plant growth in a region that is affected by acid deposition downwind of a coal-burning power plant?

Measure the changes in plant height over a year in two different groups of trees the same distance from the power plant; one group is in topsoil and one group is in topsoil with limestone added.

Based on the data in the graph, which of the following insulation options is ineffective at insulating a home and greatly contributes to indoor air pollution?

Mineral Fiber Batt

Which of the following methods would best identify changes from acid deposition in an area over time?

Monitoring the long-term chemical and biological parameters of an ecosystem

VOC impact on health

Nausea. Fatigue. Dizziness.

Based on the author's claim in the article, which of the following statements best describes the effect of noise pollution on wildlife?

Noise pollution has a negative effect on wildlife activities such as mating, establishing territories, and predator-prey interactions.

Which of the following best describes the relationship between variables in the data table?

Ozone maximum is correlated to average and maximum temperature.

Which of the following points on the graph best illustrates the location where pollutants are most likely to accumulate as a result of a thermal inversion?

Point D

What is one potential impact of increased noise pollution in national parks that is supported by the article?

Prey populations are likely to increase in national parks because predators have a decreased ability to hear prey sounds.

Which of the following is the most likely reason for the trend shown in the graph of fluctuating indoor radon levels over the course of a year?

Radon levels tend to increase in the colder months because of the difference in temperature inside and outside the home, which creates a vacuum pulling radon into the home at a higher rate.

Clean Air Act

Set emission standards for cars, and limits for release of air pollutants

Which of the following best describes the impact of modifying the slurry by increasing the amount of limestone?

The amount of sulfur dioxide released will decrease.

Which of the following best describes how their choice of control group could affect the results of their experiment?

The coal-burning power plant would not appear to have a large impact because the pHpH levels of the two lakes would be similar.

Which of the following best describes why an island location, such as the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii, is an ideal location to measure global CO2 concentrations?

The location is far from any continent, providing atmospheric air samples that are less likely to be affected by industry and transportation.

Air pollution from a power plant is being monitored for levels of nitrogen dioxide and ground-level ozone. The levels are measured daily at the same time. Which of the following best predicts the impact of a dark and cloudy day on the readings for the levels of air pollutants measured?

There will be an increase in the level of nitrogen dioxide and a decrease in the level of ground-level ozone.

Based on the data in the graph, which of the following methods would be most effective at removing the greatest amount of particulate matter from coal-burning power plant emissions?

Wet scrubbers using a flow rate of 450Lmin 450Lmin are best suited to remove large particles.

Radon Impact on health

When you breathe in radon, radioactive particles from radon gas can get trapped in your lungs. Over time, these radioactive particles increase the risk of lung cancer.

Which of the following parameters would have been best to measure to help explain the variation in her results?

Wind direction and speed

Noise Pollution

any noise that causes stress or has the potential to damage human health.

Particulate

microscopic bits of dust, metal, and unburned fuel produced by industrial processes

Which of the following would be the best parameter from the water in the ponds and lakes to measure in order to determine the effect of the plant's emissions on the aquatic ecosystems?

pH

Smog Formation

sulfur and nitrogen oxides react with ozone and other photochemical oxidants which enhances the formation of particulate matter

Air Pollution

the contamination of the atmosphere by the introduction of pollutants from human and natural sources

In addition to a nearby mountain range, which of the following environmental conditions would be required for the process in the diagram to occur?

A cool sea breeze and a high pressure system

Radon

A gas that arises from the earth where radioactive materials are present.

Primary Pollutant

A pollutant that is put directly into the atmosphere by human or natural activity

Secondary Pollutant

A primary pollutant that has undergone transformation in the presence of sunlight, water, oxygen, or other compounds

Thermal Inversion

A situation in which a relatively warm layer of air at mid-altitude covers a layer of cold, dense air below.