Atmosphere, acid rain

PM2.5,

"PM10 stands for Particulate Matter of less than 10 millionths of a metre (10 micrometers or 10 um) in diameter." Unfortunately (and disappointingly), all these definitions are incorrect.

Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs)

)Hazardous air pollutants, also known as toxic air pollutants or airtoxics, are those pollutants that cause or may cause cancer or other serious health effects, such as reproductive effects or birth defects, or adverse environmental and ecological effects. EPA is required to control 187 hazardous air pollutants.

negative effects of acid rain 2

1- Acid Rain Harms Forests 2- Damages Lakes and Streams Acid rain has many ecological effects, but none is greater than its impact on lakes, streams, wetlands, and other aquatic environments. Acid rain makes waters acidic and causes them to absorb the aluminum that makes its way from soil into lakes and streams. This combination makes waters toxic to crayfish, clams, fish, and other aquatic animals. Some species can tolerate acidic waters better than others. However, in an interconnected ecosystem, what impacts some species eventually impacts many more throughout the food chain—including non-aquatic species such as birds. Acid rain also damages forests, especially those at higher elevations. It robs the soil of essential nutrients and releases aluminum in the soil, which makes it hard for trees to take up water. Trees' leaves and needles are also harmed by acids. The effects of acid rain, combined with other environmental stressors, leave trees and plants less able to withstand cold temperatures, insects, and disease. The pollutants may also inhibit trees' ability to reproduce. Some soils are better able to neutralize acids than others. In areas where the soil's "buffering capacity" is low, the harmful effects of acid rain are much greater.

secondary air pollutant,-

A primary pollutant is an air pollutant emitted directly from a source. A secondary pollutant is not directly emitted as such, but forms when other pollutants (primary pollutants) react in the atmosphere.

primary air pollutant,

A primary pollutant is an air pollutant emitted directly from a source. Asecondary pollutant is not directly emitted as such, but forms when other pollutants (primary pollutants) react in the atmosphere.

negative effects of acid rain on the ecosystem.

Acid rain causes acidification of lakes and streams and contributes to the damage of trees at high elevations (for example, red spruce trees above 2,000 feet) and many sensitive forest soils. In addition, acid rain accelerates the decay of building materials and paints, including irreplaceable buildings, statues, and sculptures that are part of our nation's cultural heritage. Prior to falling to the earth, sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) gases and their particulate matter derivatives—sulfates and nitrates—contribute to visibility degradation and harm public health.

air pollution

Air pollution is a mixture of solid particles and gases in the air. Car emissions, chemicals from factories, dust, pollen and mold spores may be suspended as particles. Ozone, a gas, is a major part of air pollutionin cities. When ozone forms air pollution, it's also called smog. Someair pollutants are poisonous.

Hydrocarbons

Hydrocarbons are the simplest organic compounds . Containing only carbon and hydrogen, they can be straight-chain, branched chain, or cyclic molecules. Carbon tends to form four bonds in a tetrahedral geometry.

Industrial smog,-

Industrial smog is the black-brown colored haze that is in the air that can be seen over some cities. It is mostly visible in the summer. Thesmog itself is composed of sulfur dioxide, small amounts of sulfuric acid, and suspended particles from the burning of coal and oil.

name the main atmospheric gases.

Of the gases listed, nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor, carbon dioxide,methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone are extremely important to the health of the Earth's biosphere. The table indicates that nitrogen and oxygen are the main components of the atmosphere by volume.

Particulate matter

Particulate matter is the sum of all solid and liquid particles suspended in air, many of which are hazardous. This complex mixture contains for instance dust, pollen, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets.

Photochemical smog -

Photochemical smog is the chemical reaction of sunlight, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere, which leaves airborne particles and ground-level ozone.

Various chemicals (gases, liquids, solids) present in the atmosphere in high enough levels to be harmful to humans, other organisms, or materials.

Sulphur oxides (SOx) - Mainly Sulphur dioxide (SO2). It is one of the causes for concern over the environmental impact of the use of fuels as power sources. Nitrogen oxides (NOx) - NO2 is one of the most prominent air pollutants. Nitrogen (N) compounds, emitted as NOX and NH3, are now the principal acidifying components in our air and cause eutrophication of ecosystems. Particulate matter - Particulates, alternatively referred to as particulate matter (PM) or fine particles, are tiny particles of solid or liquid suspended in a gas. Human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels in vehicles, power plants and various industrial processes also generate significant amounts of aerosols. Ozone (O3) - Ozone is not directly emitted into the atmosphere but formed from a chain of photochemical reactions following emissions of precursor gases: nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO) and volatile organic compounds (VOC). Carbon monoxide (CO) - It is a product by incomplete combustion of fuel such as natural gas, coal or wood. Vehicular exhaust is a major source of carbon monoxide. Carbon dioxide (CO2) - emitted from sources such as combustion, cement production, and respiration. Heavy metals, such as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and nickel (Ni) Benzene and benzo(a)pyrene Ammonia (NH3) - emitted from agricultural processes.

troposphere

The troposphere is the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere and site of all weather on Earth. The troposphere is bonded on the top by a layer of air called the tropopause, which separates the troposphere from the stratosphere, and on bottom by the surface of the Earth.

4 main layers of the atmosphere.

Troposphere Living at the surface of the Earth, we are usually only aware of the events happening in the lowest layer, the troposphere, where all weather occurs. The base of this layer is warmer than its top because the air is heated by the surface of the Earth, which absorbs the Sun's energy. Stratosphere Above the troposphere lies the stratosphere where jet airplanes fly. Temperatures increase with altitude because of increasing amounts of ozone. The ozone layer within the stratosphere absorbs harmful ultraviolet rays of sunlight. Mesosphere As the mesosphere extends upward above the stratosphere, temperatures decrease. The coldest parts of our atmosphere are located in this layer and can reach -90°C. Thermosphere In the forth layer from Earth's surface, the thermosphere, the air is thin, meaning that there are far fewer air molecules. The thermosphere is very sensitive to solar activity and can heat up to 1,500°C or higher when the Sun is active making an aurora that lights up the night sky. Astronauts orbiting Earth in the space station or space shuttle spend their time in this layer.

, N/ S /C Oxides (NOx,SOx,COx ),-

a binary compound of oxygen with another element or group.

Ozone,

a colorless unstable toxic gas with a pungent odor and powerful oxidizing properties, formed from oxygen by electrical discharges or ultraviolet light. It differs from normal oxygen (O2) in having three atoms in its molecule (O3).

sick building syndrome,

a condition affecting office workers, typically marked by headaches and respiratory problems, attributed to unhealthy or stressful factors in the working environment such as poor ventilation.

A primary pollutant

is an air pollutant emitted directly from a source. Asecondary pollutant is not directly emitted as such, but forms when other pollutants (primary pollutants) react in the atmosphere.

radon

the chemical element of atomic number 86, a rare radioactive gas belonging to the noble gas series.

Stratosphere,

the layer of the earth's atmosphere above the troposphere, extending to about 32 miles (50 km) above the earth's surface (the lower boundary of the mesosphere).