enviro unit 7

clean air act

1970, identified the following to signifcantly threaten human's well being: sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, particulate matterm ozone, lead/toxic metals, mercury and VOCs

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

Which of the following would be the best control group to evaluate the treated wastewater from the paper company?

A sample of water upstream from the same river

Which of the following shows the correct sequence of thermal layers as one moves vertically upwards from the surface of Earth?

Cool sea breeze → Warm → Cool

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 1μm in size.

Scientists have observed that the health of people living in moderately developed regions, which have developed transportation and industry but lack environmental control measures, is more likely to be affected by urban outdoor pollution than by indoor air pollution. Which of the following conclusions can be drawn from the data presented in the graph?

In moderately developed regions such as China and Latin America, an individual's health is more or as likely to be affected by urban outdoor pollution than by indoor pollution.

Which of the following would be the most effective plan for the manager to propose to the city?

Install electrostatic precipitators at the plant.

Scientists have discovered that Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCsVOCs) emitted from trees can contribute to photochemical smog formation. Data in the table above were collected in 2006 and 2014 in Berlin, Germany. Isoprene is a VOCVOC released by some tree species. Impact factor refers to the percentage of ozone attributed to the isoprene. Question 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.

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.

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

Which of the following best describes why the authors claim that reducing noise exposure is currently more of a public policy problem than a scientific problem?

Most public health impacts of noise were already identified in the 1960s.

Which of the following best describes why the authors claim that noise exposure will be a major health problem in the twenty-first century?

Noise exposure is on the increase in both industrialized nations and in developing regions.

Scientists have been monitoring CO2CO2 in the atmosphere from Mauna Loa in Hawaii since 1958. Which of the following units is used by scientists to measure CO2CO2 in the atmosphere?

Parts per million

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.

Based on the layers in the diagram, which of the following best explains why a thermal inversion tends to concentrate pollutants in the air layer closest to the Earth's surface?

The air layer closest to the Earth's surface is denser than the layer above it.

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.

Canada has proposed an action plan to address climate change and air pollution. The action plan will reduce the impact of greenhouse gases and pollutants on the environment and human health. Which of the following claims about the Canadian action plan is best supported by the data in the graph?

The plan supports phasing out traditional coal power plants and transitioning to sources like hydroelectricity, wind, and solar power.

A student is setting up a model to study the carbon cycle and natural sources of carbon dioxide. They create a microenvironment that contains soil, leaf debris, an earthworm, heterotrophic bacteria, and a sun lamp. What natural source of carbon dioxide and major metabolic process was left out of the model?

There is no representation of photosynthesis in the model environment.

Which of the following best explains the cause of the trend shown in the graph for lead emissions in the United States from 1970 to 2011 ?

Unleaded gasoline was first introduced in 1974, and amendments to the Clean Air Act required cars with the model year 1975 or later to use only unleaded gasoline.

Which of the following activities would most likely account for the levels of indoor air pollution in India and sub-Saharan Africa, as shown in the graph?

Use of biomass fuel sources such as wood and charcoal for cooking

Which of the following sources should be examined in a study to determine the impact of a geologic source on levels of CO2 in the atmosphere?

Volcanoes

Which of the following would be the best location to obtain a water sample from to determine if the paper plant is affecting the acidity of the river?

Water sampled immediately downstream

Which of the following water quality indicators should be measured to best determine if the wastewater is increasing the acidity of the river?

amount of hydrogen ions

nitrogen dioxide (NOx)

antro: motor vehicles and fossil fuel combustion. Converts nitric acid in the atmosphere causing acid rain. Natural: forest fires, lightening, soil microbes

sulfur dioxide (SO2/SOx)

antropogenic: combustion of coal and oil. Natural: volcanoes and forest fires. Concerns: respiratory irritant, affects plant tissues, affects air quality

coal

coal combustion releases air pollutants like carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, toxic metals and particulate matter

Particulate matter

combustion of fossile fuels and biomass. disel worse than gasoline. road dust, rock crushing, volcanoes, fires and dust storms. if heavy enough can block sunlight and lead to decreased rates of photosynthesis.

carbon monoxide

formed during incomplete combustion of most matter (vehicle exaust, etc..) Very dangerous indoors w/ poor ventilation

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

gas sensor - co2

If the air layers in the diagram were relabeled to illustrate normal atmospheric conditions, the correct labeling from the air layer closest to the Earth's surface to the one farthest from the Earth's surface would be

warm air, cool air, cooler air