APES

The WHO and the World Bank call indoor air pollution ____. a. the world's most serious air pollution problem b. an important air pollution problem c. not a serious air pollution problem d. a serious problem only for poor people e. a serious problem only for developed nations

a. the world's most serious air pollution problem

Approximately how much of the air we breathe is composed of nitrogen and oxygen? a. 99% b. 77% c. 63% d. 54% e. 33%

a. 99%

What do all volatile organic compounds have in common? a. All are gasses in the atmosphere. b. All are produced from manmade sources. c. All are emitted for processing and/or burning fossil fuels. d. All are colorless, odorless reactive gases. e. All are naturally occurring colorless and odorless gases found in rocks and vegetation.

a. All are gasses in the atmosphere.

The UV filtering effect of the ozone layer is beneficial because it ____. a. allows humans and other forms of life to exist on land b. prevents low energy radiation from reaching the earth's surface c. counteracts global warming d. prevents the formation of photochemical ozone in the stratosphere e. reduces the amount of water vapor in the troposphere

a. allows humans and other forms of life to exist on land

Burning coal will produce pollutants such as ____. a. carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and soot b. sulfur dioxide, soot and water vapor. c. carbon dioxide, soot and ozone d. carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and water vapor e. carbon monoxide, ozone and water vapor

a. carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and soot

The Asian Brown Cloud is a(n) ____. a. large thick cloud of dust, smoke, and toxic metals in the troposphere b. data storage system in China c. slow moving cloud of dust, smoke, and toxic metals in the stratosphere d. area of pollution that only affects Asia e. cloud of dust, smoke, and toxic metals that is unable to be cleaned up

a. large thick cloud of dust, smoke, and toxic metals in the troposphere

Major air pollutants include ____. a. nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and dioxide, sulfur compounds, VOCs, and suspended particulate matter b. nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and dioxide, sulfur compounds, excess water vapor, and suspended particulate matter c. nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and dioxide, argon, excess water vapor, and suspended particulate matter d. nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and dioxide, argon, VOCs, and suspended particulate matter e. nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and dioxide, excess water vapor, VOCs, and suspended particulate matter

a. nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and dioxide, sulfur compounds, VOCs, and suspended particulate matter

People are exposed to lead via ____. a. peeling paint and dust in older homes b. traveling on air planes c. emissions from nuclear plants d. eating contaminated fish e. living in an earthquake prone region

a. peeling paint and dust in older homes

Radioactive ____ is a product of uranium decay. a. radon b. radium c. plutonium d. lead e. hydrogen

a. radon

Photochemical smog is formed when primary pollutants interact with ____. a. sunlight b. water vapor c. sulfur dioxide d. oxygen e. carbon

a. sunlight

Most of earth's climate occurs in the ____. a. troposphere b. thermosphere c. mesosphere d. stratosphere e. tropopause

a. troposphere

Exposure to indoor formaldehyde pollution is least likely to cause ____. a. ulcers b. headaches c. chronic breathing problems d. dizziness e. sore throat

a. ulcers

Ozone depletion is caused by ____. a. chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in the troposphere b. CFCs in the stratosphere c. global warming d. the greenhouse effect e. cold air in the polar regions

b. CFCs in the stratosphere

Which statement about acid deposition is false? a. Forty-five U.S. states have issued warnings to not eat fish. b. Low pH increases plant nutrients in forest soils. c. Several thousand lakes in Norway and Sweden contain few fish. d. Crops are harmed by low pH. e. Mountaintop forests are the hardest hit regions.

b. Low pH increases plant nutrients in forest soils.

Which statement about ozone thinning is true? a. Ozone thinning is confined to the atmosphere over Antarctica. b. Ozone levels fluctuate seasonally, with the lowest levels occurring in September and October. c. Ozone thinning is irreversible since there are no substitutes for CFCs. d. Ozone thinning was addressed by countries around the world at the 2010 Montreal Accords.

b. Ozone levels fluctuate seasonally, with the lowest levels occurring in September and October.

Which of the following statements is true? a. Temperature inversion occurs when a layer of cold air prevents warm air from rising. b. Temperature inversions make pollution problems worse. c. Temperature inversions last only a few minutes to a few hours. d. Normally, cool air near earth's surface expands and rises, carrying pollutants higher into the troposphere. e. Temperature inversions help prevent air pollution

b. Temperature inversions make pollution problems worse.

Dry deposition occurs when ____. a. pollution levels are low b. acidic particulates reach the ground c. pollutants are released in cold air d. pollution travels a large distance from its source e. acidic snow, rain, or fog reaches ground

b. acidic particulates reach the ground

It would be ineffective to prevent lead poisoning by ____. a. phasing out waste incineration b. banning the use of lead pencils in schools c. banning lead glazing on ceramic ware used to serve food d. banning the use of lead solder e. banning candles with lead cores

b. banning the use of lead pencils in schools

The period from 1980 and 2010 witnessed an increase in which pollutant? a. lead b. carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) c. sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) d. carbon monoxide (CO) e. ground-level ozone

b. carbon dioxide (CO 2 )

The chemical that causes most people in developed countries the most difficulty is ____. a. chloroform b. formaldehyde c. carbon monoxide d. asbestos e. sulfur dioxide

b. formaldehyde

What is the correct sequence of layers of the atmosphere from innermost to outermost? a. mesosphere-stratosphere-thermosphere-troposphere b. troposphere-stratosphere-mesosphere-thermosphere c. stratosphere-thermosphere-troposphere-mesosphere d. thermosphere-stratosphere-mesosphere-troposphere e. thermosphere-mesosphere-stratosphere-troposphere

b. troposphere-stratosphere-mesosphere-thermosphere

According to environmental scientists, U.S. air pollution control laws would be weakened if ____. a. there was a greater emphasis on preventing air pollution. b. emissions from older coal-burning power plants were sharply reduced c. controls on petroleum refineries were relaxed d. fuel efficiency standards on motor vehicles were improved e. stricter air pollution regulations on airports and ocean going ships were enacted

c. controls on petroleum refineries were relaxed

Radon-222 is a colorless, odorless gas that forms ____. a. when primary pollutants interact with ozone b. from contaminated groundwater seeping through fractures in rocks c. from underground rock and mineral deposits of uranium, shale, and granite d. from coal-burning power plants e. when smokers don't open windows

c. from underground rock and mineral deposits of uranium, shale, and granite

The biggest air pollution threat to poor people is ____. a. badly maintained automobiles b. pollutants from industry c. indoor air pollution d. smoke from burning forests e. dust blown into the air

c. indoor air pollution

The atmosphere is divided into spherical layers based upon the ____. a. density of each layer b. concentration of ozone in each layer c. temperature changes from variations in absorption of solar energy d. concentration of oxygen in each layer e. precipitation in each layer

c. temperature changes from variations in absorption of solar energy

If the earth were an apple, the lower layer of the atmosphere would be the thickness of ____. a. the core b. the part of the apple we eat c. the skin d. the whole apple e. a seed

c. the skin

According to the EPA, what are the four most dangerous indoor air pollutants? a. tobacco smoke, formaldehyde, radon-222, and methane b. tobacco smoke, formaldehyde, sulfur dioxide, and ultrafine particles c. tobacco smoke, formaldehyde, radon-222, and ultrafine particles d. tobacco smoke, formaldehyde, sulfur dioxide, and methane e. tobacco smoke, formaldehyde, radon-222, and sulfur dioxide

c. tobacco smoke, formaldehyde, radon-222, and ultrafine particles

Photochemical smog is characteristic of urban areas with many vehicles and a climate that is ____. a. cool, wet, and cloudy b. cool, dry, and sunny c. warm, dry, and sunny d. warm, wet, and cloudy e. warm, wet, and sunny

c. warm, dry, and sunny

Acidic rain, snow, fog, and cloud vapor typically has a pH of a. 3.6 b. 4.6 c. 5.6 d. 6.6 e. 7.6

c. 5.6

Sick Building Syndrome is not correlated with ____. a. headaches b. coughing and sneezing c. lung cancer d. chronic fatigue e. depression

c. lung caner

Respiratory illnesses in developing countries are most likely to be caused by ____. a. formaldehyde b. cigarette smoke c. particulate matter d. asbestos e. chloroform

c. particulate matter

Acid deposition is best classified as a(n) ____. a. local problem b. state problem c. regional problem d. national problem e. international problem

c. regional problem

Chlorofluorocarbon (CFCs) molecules can stay in the stratosphere for ____. a. 1-5 years b. 10-20 years c. 50-75 years d. 65-385 years e. 500-1,000 years

d. 65-385 years

Sixteen of the world's twenty most polluted cities are found in ____. a. the United States b. Brazil c. the Ukraine d. China e. Mexico

d. China

Which statement about indoor air pollution in the United States is false? a. Levels of 11 pollutants are 2 to 5 times higher in inside U.S. homes than outside. b. Pollution levels inside cars in urban areas are up to 18 times higher than outside. c. Health risks are magnified because 70-98% of time is spent in cars or homes. d. Outdoor air pollution has a higher cancer risk than indoor air pollution. e. Pesticides and lead accumulate in carpet and on furniture in homes.

d. Outdoor air pollution has a higher cancer risk than indoor air pollution.

Which action would be an ineffective preventive measure for acid deposition? a. reducing coal use b. burning low-sulfur coal c. switching to natural gas or renewable energy resources d. adding lime to neutralize the acids e. removing SO 2 and NO x from motor vehicle exhausts

d. adding lime to neutralize the acids

The grasshopper effect is a result of ____. a. pollutants being transferred from warmer areas to polar areas by ocean currents b. warm air sitting on top of cool, stagnant air c. the mixing of warm and cold air d. air pollutants being transferred from warmer areas to polar areas by evaporation and wind e. precipitation exceeding evaporation

d. air pollutants being transferred from warmer areas to polar areas by evaporation and wind e.

Outdoor air pollution is reduced when ____. a. buildings slow wind speed and reduce dilution of pollutants b. hills and mountains reduce the flow of air in valleys c. high temperatures promote formation of photochemical smog d. chemical reactions form acid precipitation which falls out of the atmosphere e. temperature inversions form over cities surrounded by mountains

d. chemical reactions form acid precipitation which falls out of the atmosphere

About 90% of radon related lung cancers in the United States occur among ____. a. overweight people b. immune suppressed people c. pregnant women d. current or former smokers e. the elderly

d. current or former smokers

Air pollution in the urban areas of many less-developed countries is ____. a. getting much better b. remaining about the same c. getting a little better d. getting worse e. at crisis levels

d. getting worse

Human inputs of outdoor air pollutants occur mostly ____. a. in rural areas b. in the mountains c. along the oceans d. in urban areas e. in the deserts

d. in urban areas

The atmospheric layer containing 75% of the mass of earth's air is the ____. a. thermosphere b. mesosphere c. stratosphere d. troposphere e. tropopause

d. troposphere

How many people in the United States die each year from air pollution-related reasons? a. 25,000 to 30,000 b. 50,000 to 66,000 c. 75,000 to 110,000 d. 100,000 to 175,000 e. 150,000 to 350,000

e. 150,000 to 350,000

The stratosphere ____. a. is where the Asian Brown Cloud forms b. has more water vapor than the troposphere c. is where weather occurs d. is characterized by temperatures that decrease with altitude e. contains the ozone layer

e. contains the ozone layer

49. Before the 1980s, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were primarily used as ____. a. ingredients in fire extinguishers and propellants in aerosol cans b. coolants in air conditioners and industrial solvents c. buoyancy gas in blimps d. ingredients in bleach and propellants in aerosol cans e. coolants in air conditioners and propellants in aerosol cans

e. coolants in air conditioners and propellants in aerosol cans

What term refers to harmful chemicals emitted directly into the air from natural processes and human activities? a. secondary pollutants b. direct smog c. photochemical smog d. tertiary pollutants e. primary pollutants

e. primary pollutants

Outdoor air pollution is increased when ____. a. particles that are heavier than air settle out of the atmosphere b. rain and snow wash pollutants out of the atmosphere c. winds sweep pollutants away d. chemical reactions form acid precipitation that falls out of the atmosphere e. temperature inversions form over cities surrounded by mountains

e. temperature inversions form over cities surrounded by mountains

According to a 2012 EPA report, between 1980 and 2010, the combined emissions of six major air pollutants decreased by how much? a. 17% b. 23% c. 36% d. 49% e. 63%

e. 63%

In the United States, the highest levels of air pollution from fine particles are found in ____. a. the Northwest b. the Rocky Mountains c. the Northeast d. Texas e. West Virginia

e. West Virginia

The Asian Brown Cloud is approximately the size of ____. a. Tibet b. Shanghai c. India d. China and India e. the Continental U.S.

e. continental US