Air Pollution Exam (CLHS APES)

Which best describes the indoor air pollutant asbestos?

A fibrous mineral that can cause respiratory diseases

Carbon monoxide is dangerous to human health because it

Bonds to hemoglobin and interfers with oxygen transfer in the bloodstream.

The class of anthropogenic compounds responsible for the breakdown of stratospheric ozone are known as

CFCs

Has a stronger affinity for hemoglobin than oxygen has

Carbon Monoxide

Which is the correct sequence of the events that lead to acid deposition?

Combustion releases SO2 and NOx, secondary pollutants are formed, dissociation of pollutants, deposition of ions on vegetation or soil

A thermal inversion, which can lead to serious pollution events, occurs when

Cool air close to the surface is blanketed by a layer of warm air that traps pollutants.

Although ozone in the stratosphere has been decreasing in recent years, ozone near Earth's surface is on the increase. This ozone near the surface is undesirable because it

Is a strong oxidant and respiratory irritant

Ground level ozone is classified as a pollutant because it reduces lung function and

It can degrade plant surfaces.

Which is NOT a characteristic of CO?

It is a product of respiration.

Which does NOT describe the production of stratospheric ozone?

It is formed from the reaction of C with O2 in the presence of NOx

The major human health problem relayed to radon accumulation is

Lung Cancer

Which air pollutant is a metal, released primarily from the combustion of coal?

Mercury

Which is an anthropogenic source of nitrogen oxides?

Motor vehicles

Which of the following best explains the pattern in NO concentration?

NO is produced by rush-hour traffic and is quickly oxidized in the atmosphere.

Large volcanic eruptions have led to a decrease in the world's photosynthetic activity because of

Particulate matter, which spreads in the atmosphere and scatters sunlight

Has been implicates as the cause of as much as 15 percent of lung cancer cases

Radon

Is an important precursor to acid rain

Sulfur Dioxide

All of the following are likely consequences of indoor air pollution EXCEPT an increase in

The risk of developing skin cancer

Sulfates are considered secondary pollutants because

They result from the transformation of primary pollutants.

In Mexico City, during the winter months, sub-tropical high pressure systems can cause a warm layer of air to get trapped above the colder denser layer of air in the Valley of Mexico. This phenomenon can increase surface air pollutants and is called

A Thermal inversion

Ozone is formed in the atmosphere as a result of the combination of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the presence of sunlight. This ozone is

A secondary pollutant

Which harmful substance was once commonly used as insulation?

Asbestos

Which is NOT a typical strategy for reducing ground-level pollutants?

Expanding public transportation networks

Which is NOT associated with the thinning ozone layer?

Increased incidences of asthma

Which of the following air pollutants is correctly paired with one of its major effects?

Sulfur oxides... acid deposition

Cities around the world have made efforts to limit smog by reducing the emissions of

VOCs and nitrogen oxides

An organic pollutant that evaporates at typical atmospheric temperatures and is a precursor to ozone is known as

Volatile organic compounds

The depletion of ozone over Antarctica is greatest during

August through November.

Which of the following substances is released by CFC's and catalyzes a chain reaction that breaks down ozone in the upper atmosphere?

Chlorine

Which is the correct sequence of the events that lead to acid deposition?

Combustion releases SO2 and NOX, secondary pollutants are formed, dissociation of pollutants, deposition of ions on vegetation or soil

The two main human derived sources of carbon dioxide are

Deforestation and combustion of fossil fuels

Stratospheric ozone depletion is most likely to result in which of the following?

Disruption of photosynthesis in plants

Which VOC is common in particle board and carpeting glue and is dangerous to human health?

Formalsehyde

Which is NOT a characteristic of gasoline that makes it a VOC?

Gasoline is a hazardous compound.

Which of the following is NOT a problem associated with acid deposition?

Harmful to human skin upon contact

Recent studies have found that fine particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less can have negative human health effects. Which of the following correctly links a negative human health effect to an anthropogenic source of fine particulate matter?

High rates of respiratory disease from power plant emissions

Which is NOT true regarding indoor air pollution?

Indoor air pollution is only a health risk in developing countries.

If technology that reduces the hydrocarbon concentration had been utilized, which of the following would have been the most likely result?

The concentration of O3 would have been lower.

Which is a secondary pollutant involved in the formation of photochemical smog?

Tropospheric ozone

The protective layer of oxygen and stratospheric ozone absorbs over 99 percent of incoming

UV-B and UV-C radiation.

Ozone is the stratosphere is important to organisms at Earth's surface because ozone molecules are very strong absorbers of

Ultraviolet Rays