APES Unit 6 Review Questions

List 3 factors that increase outdoor air pollution and 3 factors that naturally reduce it

Increase: precipitation, sea spray, and winds Decrease: Electrostatic precipitators - Particulate Matter Baghouse filters Wet scrubbers - Absorbed Sulfur Dioxide Catalytic Converters reduce Carbon Monoxide and Nitrogen Oxides

Identify six outdoor air pollutants for which the EPA has established National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

carbon monoxide, lead, ground-level ozone, particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide

Describe the following effects of climate change: 1) food production 2) water supplies 3) forests 4) sea level 5) biodiversity 6) weather 7) human health 8) environmental refugees

1) food production damages crops and lessens food supply 2) water supplies limits clean and fresh water supply 3) forests die off 4) sea level it rises 5) biodiversity it is lessened 6) weather fluctuates and gets warm sooner higher highs and lower lows 7) human health declines 8) environmental refugees increase

What is acid deposition and how does it form? Describe three specific impacts on plants, lakes, human built structures and human health

Acid deposition is formed from sulfur, and can be deposited as acid rain or dry acid deposits Impacts: Respiratory Problems Damaged Foliage Damage to infrastructure Trees are more susceptible to disease Prevents trees from being able to absorb proper nutrients in the soil Damage to Aquatic Ecosystems

What are the top four indoor air pollutants, list each of their sources and their health effects

Asbestos Soft Flexible Fibers that are resistant to heat, electricity and chemical erosion. Effects occur after chronic exposure, fibers are microscopic. Body cannot expel them Can cause inflammation, scarring and damage to cells eventually leading to respiratory problems and lung cancer Carbon Monoxide Colorless, odorless, known as the silent killer Displaces oxygen in the bloodstream and causes dizziness, nausea and headaches. Can begin to damage organs and lead to death Radon Comes from the natural breakdown of Uranium in rocks Colorless, odorless gas that can cause lung cancer Formaldehyde Found in manufactured wood products such as plywood or particle boards Also used in some pesticides Also used in embalming fluid

Identify six greenhouse gases and the major sources of each.

Carbon dioxide Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) Methane Nitrous oxide Water Vapor Tropospheric Ozone (minor greenhouse gas) Have been caused by human activities: burning fossil fuels, agriculture, deforestation, and use of CFCs.

Describe the air pollution laws within the US. List the advantages and disadvantages of using an emission trading program.

Clean Air Act Amendments: 1970 - Amendment required regulations and limits of emissions on mobile and industrial sources of air pollution 1977- Attained the NAAQS (National Ambient Air Quality Standards) established by the EPA. How long and how much people can be exposed to a criteria air pollutant (ex - SO2 or Ozone) https://www.epa.gov/criteria-air-pollutants/naaqs-table 1990 - Amendment required regulations of acid rain, ozone depletion, and toxic air pollutants Emission Trading Benefit: Major advantage is the prevention of going above allowed levels of pollution Disadvantage- some countries are allowed to pollute a lot more than they should be able to and this effects their people

What are three clean-up approaches for reducing emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter from coal burning power plants and cars.

Clean-up Methods: Electrostatic precipitators - Particulate Matter Baghouse filters Wet scrubbers - Absorbed Sulfur Dioxide Catalytic Converters reduce Carbon Monoxide and Nitrogen Oxides

Describe how each of the following might affect global warming and its resulting effects on global climate 1) cloud cover 2) Air pollution

Cloud cover can increase or decrease global warming and increase or decrease over climate. Air pollution increases climate and leads to global warming.

Describe how human activities have depleted the ozone layer. How does the ozone layer become depleted (review)

Humans release ozone depleting chemicals and chlorine mixes with oxygen to deplete ozone layer

List four things that governments can do to help slow projected climate change.

Incentives, agreements, emissions trading, placing laws and limits

Distinguish between industrial smog and photochemical smog in terms of their chemical composition and formation

Industrial smog is made up of sulfur dioxide, suspended droplets of sulfuric acid, and particulate matter Photochemical smog contains ground level ozone, PANs and nitric acid Photochemical smog needs sunlight to be formed and industrial does not Industrial comes from cars

Describe the role played by oceans in the regulation of atmospheric temperatures. How are oceans being affected by an increase in CO2.

Oceans are becoming unclean and harming their ecosystems and living things within the ocean. Sea level is rising.

Describe three ways to prevent acid deposition and 2 ways to clean it up

Prevention Solutions: Reducing energy use Switching from coal to cleaner burning natural gas Removing sulfur from coal before it is burned Burning low sulfur coal Removing SO2 particles, and nitrogen oxides Wet scrubbers and catalytic converters

Distinguish between primary pollutants and secondary pollutants. Give examples of each

Primary pollutants come from direct sources, and secondary pollutants are created in the atmosphere by the combining of primary pollutants. For example, sulfur is a primary pollutant that creates the secondary pollutant of acid rain. Ozone is also a secondary pollutant.

Describe global warming and cooling over the past 900,000 years and during the last century.

Sea levels are rising, glaciers/ice caps are melting, the Earth overall is warming and will continue to get worse as more countries industrialize.

What are the pros and cons of the Kyoto Protocol?

The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty that countries have signed to commit to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, based on the premise that (a) global warming exists and (b) human-made CO2 emissions have caused it. Goal was to reduce CO2 emissions by 2012 to 5% below the 1990 levels. Signed by 192 Countries, major countries that have not ratified: Canada withdrew in 2011 - Not enough evidence to support, not seeing a cost benefit Afghanistan - War United States did not sign but actually did reduce levels of CO2 due to switch in use of natural gas vs coal Australia did not sign until 2016

How can acid rain be produced by volcanic eruptions?

The volcanic eruptions release sulfur

What is the Paris Agreement?

UNFCCC - United Nations Framework on Climate Change Convention 195 Countries have signed to mitigate climate change by reducing their emissions by a selected year and contributing to afforestation and the global climate fund. Syria and Nicaragua were only countries to not initially sign (Nicaragua recently signed). USA expected to back out now by 2020. **Recognizes that developing countries will soon be the worst polluters, not developed

What is "sick building syndrome"? Describe three ways that this can be cleaned up

Workers experiencing acute effects of exposure to pollutants in the workplace. Causes: POOR VENTILATION and exposure to adhesives, upholstery, carpeting, copy machines, manufactured wood products, pesticides, cleaning agents, particulate matter, etc. Remove bad ceiling tiles, remove bad insulation, improve ventilation