21.3-Pollution-BIO#4-(KV & StS)

Discuss the causes of acid rain (Supplement)

Cause - a chemical reaction that starts when compounds such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are released into the air. These substances rise into the atmosphere where they react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals and form acidic pollutants

Discuss effects on the environment of acid rain (Supplement)

Effects - destroys plants and trees, health problems in humans like asthma and respiratory illnesses, pH levels in lakes and streams become acidic, aquatic life is destroyed

State the sources and effects of pollution of land and water, e.g. rivers, lakes and the sea, by insecticides, herbicides and by nuclear fall-out (Core)

Exposure to these items is very dangerous to people, plants, and animals because they ingest most of the things that are affected. Nuclear fall-out can also cause radiation sickness and burns

Discuss the effects of non-biodegradable plastics in the environment, in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems (Supplement)

Non-biodegradable plastics sit in landfills or in forests, parks, rivers, and streams as litter. It can also be washed or put into seas and oceans. In each of these places, animals can see these plastics and believe they are food and eat them. This kills animals, and trashes these environments.

State the measures that are taken to reduce sulfur dioxide pollution and reduce the impact of acid rain (Supplement)

The EPA's Acid Rain Program - limits the amount of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide that power plants are allowed to release into the air. Using coal that contains less sulfur, or "washing" the coal to remove some of the sulfur. Power plants installing scrubbers. Scrubbers remove the sulfur dioxide from the gases that leave the smokestack. Producing without using fossil fuels also reduces pollution. These can all help to create less acid rain.

Describe the cause and effect of aerobic respiration in terms of bacteria

The cause of this is when there is an abundance of dead producers that need to be broken down The effect is the organisms in the body if water lose oxygen because of aerobic respiration

Explain how increases in carbon dioxide and methane concentrations in the atmosphere cause an enhanced greenhouse effect that leads to climate change (Supplement)

The enhanced greenhouse effect is described as "the impact on the climate from the additional heat retained due to the increased amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that humans have released into the earth's atmosphere". Carbon dioxide and methane concentrations prevent heat from leaving the atmosphere. This causes Earth's average surface temperatures to rise. This has effects such as more droughts and flooding, melting of ice and snow, more extreme weather conditions, and rising sea levels.

Explain the process of eutrophication of water in terms of: - increased availability of nitrate and other ions - increased growth of producers - increased decomposition after death of producers - increased aerobic respiration by decomposers - reduction in dissolved oxygen - death of organisms requiring dissolved oxygen in water (Supplement)

When a body of water gets filled with more nutrients the growth of producers increase rapidly, the sun becomes blocked out which causes the death of producers and because of that the decomposers are constantly working and using all of the air in the water which results in the death or the organisms in the water.

State the sources and effects of pollution of water (rivers, lakes and the sea) by chemical waste, discarded rubbish, untreated sewage and fertilisers (Core)

When bodies of water come in contact with harmful substances it strongly affects animals and people as well. It affects organisms in the water and animals and people that drink the water.

State the sources and effects of pollution of the air by methane and carbon dioxide, limited to the enhanced greenhouse effect and climate change (Core)

When excess carbon dioxide and methane are released in the air it can cause climate change and worsens the greenhouse effect. These substances speed up the rate of climate change because they absorb infrared radiation.