Chapter 18 ENSC

The grasshopper effect is a result of ____. a. pollutants being transferred from warmer areas to polar areas by ocean currents b. warm air sitting on top of cool, stagnant air c. the mixing of warm and cold air d. air pollutants being transferred from warmer areas to polar areas by evaporation and wind e. precipitation exceeding evaporation

d. air pollutants being transferred from warmer areas to polar areas by evaporation and wind

Air pollution in the urban areas of many less-developed countries is ____. a. getting much better b. remaining about the same c. getting a little better d. getting worse e. as bad as it could possibly be

d. getting worse

Human inputs of outdoor air pollutants occur mostly ____. a. in rural areas b. in the mountains c. over the oceans d. in urban areas e. in the deserts

d. in urban areas

About how many people die each year because of indoor and outdoor air pollution worldwide? a. 10,000 b. 70,000 c. 500,000 d. 1 million e. 7 million

e. 7 million

According to a 2015 EPA report, between 1980 and 2014, the combined emissions of the six major outdoor air pollutants decreased by ____. a. 17 b. 23 c. 36 d. 49 e. 70

e. 70

. The stratosphere ____. a. is where atmospheric brown clouds form b. has more water vapor than the troposphere c. is where most weather occurs d. is characterized by temperatures that decrease with increasing altitude e. contains the ozone layer

e. contains the ozone layer

What term refers to harmful chemicals emitted directly into the air from natural processes and human activities at concentrations high enough to cause harm? a. secondary pollutants b. direct smog c. photochemical smog d. tertiary pollutants e. primary pollutants

e. primary pollutants

Outdoor air pollution is increased when ____. a. particles that are heavier than air settle out of the atmosphere b. rain and snow wash pollutants out of the atmosphere c. winds sweep pollutants away d. chemical reactions produce acidic precipitation that falls out of the atmosphere e. temperature inversions form over cities surrounded by mountains

e. temperature inversions form over cities surrounded by mountains

In the United States, the highest levels of air pollution from fine particles—and subsequent premature deaths—are found in ____. a. the Northwest b. the Rocky Mountains region c. the Southwest d. Texas e. the Appalachian region

e. the Appalachian region

The UV filtering effect of the ozone layer is beneficial because it ____. a. allows humans and other forms of life to exist on land b. prevents low energy radiation from reaching the earth's surface c. counteracts global warming d. prevents the formation of photochemical ozone in the stratosphere e. reduces the amount of water vapor in the troposphere

a. allows humans and other forms of life to exist on land

Which substance is a colorless, odorless, and highly toxic gas that forms during the incomplete combustion of carbon-containing materials? a. carbon monoxide (CO) b. chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) c. carbon dioxide (CO2) d. methane (CH4) e. ozone (O3)

a. carbon monoxide (CO)

Burning coal produces pollutants such as ____. a. carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and soot b. sulfur dioxide and water vapor c. carbon dioxide and cyanide d. soot and argon e. carbon monoxide and water vapor

a. carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and soot

Atmospheric brown clouds are ____. a. large clouds of dust, smoke, soot, and toxic metals b. primarily found in Western Europe c. slow moving clouds from wildfires d. only a problem in China e. produced by volcanic eruptions

a. large clouds of dust, smoke, soot, and toxic metals

The major source of lead exposure is via ____. a. peeling paint and dust in older homes b. traveling on air planes c. emissions from nuclear plants d. physical contact with lead e. living in an earthquake prone region

a. peeling paint and dust in older homes

Radioactive ____ gas is a product of uranium decay. a. radon b. rubidium c. plutonium d. lead e. hydrogen

a. radon

One of the primary components of industrial smog is ____. a. sulfur dioxide (SO2) b. lead c. argon d. nitrogen gas (N2) e. mercury

a. sulfur dioxide (SO2)

Rising and falling air currents, winds, and concentrations of CO2 and other greenhouse gases in the ____ play major roles in the planet's short-term weather and long-term climate. a. troposphere b. thermosphere c. mesosphere d. stratosphere e. tropopause

a. troposphere

Which statement about acid deposition is false? a. Forty-five U.S. states have issued warnings not to eat fish. b. Low pH increases plant nutrients in forest soils. c. Several thousand lakes in Norway and Sweden contain few fish. d. Crops are harmed by low pH. e. Mountaintop forests are the hardest hit regions.

b. Low pH increases plant nutrients in forest soils.

Which statement about ozone thinning is true? a. Ozone thinning is confined to the atmosphere over Antarctica. b. Ozone levels fluctuate seasonally, with the lowest levels occurring in September and October. c. Ozone thinning is irreversible since there are no substitutes for CFCs. d. An international agreement to halt ozone thinning has yet to take place. e. Ozone thinning only affects organisms living in polar regions.

b. Ozone levels fluctuate seasonally, with the lowest levels occurring in September and October. `

Dry deposition occurs when ____. a. pollution levels are low b. acidic particulates fall to the ground c. pollutants are released in cold air d. pollution travels a large distance from its source e. acidic snow, rain, or fog reaches the ground

b. acidic particulates fall to the ground

It would be ineffective to attempt to prevent lead poisoning by ____. a. phasing out waste incineration b. banning the use of lead pencils in schools c. banning lead glazing on ceramic ware used to serve food d. banning the use of lead solder e. phasing out leaded gasoline worldwide

b. banning the use of lead pencils in schools

The difference between industrial and photochemical smog is that photochemical smog ____. a. is produced by stationary sources rather than mobile ones b. contains secondary pollutants formed under the influence of UV radiation from the sun c. contains carbon dioxide d. is not related to coal burning e. involves reactions with oxygen

b. contains secondary pollutants formed under the influence of UV radiation from the sun

Temperature inversions ____. a. occur when a layer of cold air prevents warm air from rising b. make pollution problems worse c. last only a few minutes to a few hours d. cause cool air near the earth's surface to expand and rise, carrying pollutants higher into the troposphere e. help prevent air pollution

b. make pollution problems worse

What is the correct sequence of layers of the atmosphere from innermost to outermost? a. mesosphere-stratosphere-thermosphere-troposphere b. troposphere-stratosphere-mesosphere-thermosphere c. stratosphere-thermosphere-troposphere-mesosphere d. thermosphere-stratosphere-mesosphere-troposphere e. thermosphere-mesosphere-stratosphere-troposphere

b. troposphere-stratosphere-mesosphere-thermosphere

According to environmental scientists, U.S. air pollution control laws would be weakened if ____. a. there was a greater emphasis on preventing air pollution b. emissions from older coal-burning power plants were sharply reduced c. controls on petroleum refineries were relaxed d. fuel efficiency standards on motor vehicles were improved e. stricter air pollution regulations on airports and ocean going ships were enacted

c. controls on petroleum refineries were relaxed

Acidic rain, snow, fog, and cloud vapor typically have a pH of ____. a. about 7.0 b. 5.7 to 6.2 c. less than 5.6 d. about 6.6 e. more than 7.6

c. less than 5.6

Sick-building syndrome is not associated with ____. a. headaches b. coughing and sneezing c. lung cancer d. nausea e. dizziness

c. lung cancer

Acid deposition is best classified as a(n) ____ problem. a. local b. state c. regional d. national e. global

c. regional

A U.S. cap-and-trade (or emissions trading) program was used to reduce emissions of ____. a. nitrogen oxides (NOx) b. carbon monoxide (CO) c. sulfur dioxide (SO2) d. chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) e. lead

c. sulfur dioxide (SO2)

Photochemical smog is characteristic of urban areas with many vehicles and a climate that is ____. a. cool and cloudy b. cool and sunny c. warm and sunny d. warm and cloudy e. wet and sunny

c. warm and sunny

Sixteen of the world's twenty most polluted cities are found in ____. a. the United States b. Brazil c. the Ukraine d. China e. Mexico

d. China

Which statement about indoor air pollution in the United States is false? a. Levels of several common air pollutants are 2-5 times higher in inside U.S. homes than outside. b. Pollution levels inside cars in urban areas are up to 18 times higher than outside. c. Health risks are magnified because 70% or more of our time is spent in cars or homes. d. Exposure to outdoor air pollution presents a higher cancer risk than with indoor air pollution. e. Pesticides and lead accumulate in carpet and on furniture in homes.

d. Exposure to outdoor air pollution presents a higher cancer risk than with indoor air pollution.

Which action would be an ineffective preventive measure for acid deposition? a. reducing coal use b. burning low-sulfur coal c. switching to natural gas or renewable energy resources d. adding lime to neutralize acidified lakes e. removing SO2 and NOx from motor vehicle exhausts

d. adding lime to neutralize acidified lakes

Photochemical smog is formed when primary pollutants interact with ____. a. UV radiation from the sun b. water vapor c. sulfur dioxide d. oxygen e. carbon

a. UV radiation from the sun

Electrostatic precipitators or wet scrubbers can be used to reduce ____ pollution. a. particulate matter b. carbon dioxide (CO2) c. radon-222 d. carbon monoxide (CO) e. formaldehyde

a. particulate matter

Exposure to indoor formaldehyde pollution is least likely to cause ____. a. ulcers b. headaches c. chronic breathing problems d. dizziness e. sinus and eye irritation

a. ulcers

Ozone depletion is caused by ____. a. chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in the troposphere b. chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in the stratosphere c. global warming d. the greenhouse effect e. cold air in the polar regions

b. chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in the stratosphere

The Clean Air Act was passed in ____. a. 1930 b. 1950 c. 1970 d. 1984 e. 2004

c. 1970

Which substance is a secondary pollutant? a. carbon dioxide b. methane c. sulfuric acid d. nitric oxide e. particulates

c. sulfuric acid

The atmosphere is divided into spherical layers based upon the ____ each layer. a. density of b. concentration of ozone in c. temperature differences between d. concentration of oxygen in e. precipitation in

c. temperature differences between

If the earth were an apple, the lower layer of the atmosphere containing the air we breathe would be the thickness of ____. a. the core b. the part of the apple we eat c. the skin d. the whole apple e. a seed

c. the skin

According to the EPA, what are the three most dangerous indoor air pollutants? a. tobacco smoke, formaldehyde, and methane b. tobacco smoke, sulfur dioxide, and ultrafine particles c. tobacco smoke, formaldehyde, and radon-222 d. carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and methane e. carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and radon-222

c. tobacco smoke, formaldehyde, and radon-222

Chlorofluorocarbon (CFCs) molecules can stay in the stratosphere for ____. a. 1-5 years b. 10-20 years c. 50-75 years d. 65-385 years e. 500-1,000 years

d. 65-385 years

Outdoor air pollution is reduced when ____. a. buildings slow wind speed and reduce dilution of pollutants b. hills and mountains reduce the flow of air in valleys c. high temperatures promote formation of photochemical smog d. chemical reactions produce acidic precipitation which falls out of the atmosphere e. temperature inversions form over cities surrounded by mountains

d. chemical reactions produce acidic precipitation which falls out of the atmosphere

About 90% of radon-related lung cancers in the United States occur among ____. a. overweight people b. children c. pregnant women d. current or former smokers e. the elderly

d. current or former smokers

The atmospheric layer containing about 75-80% of the mass of earth's air is the ____. a. thermosphere b. mesosphere c. stratosphere d. troposphere e. tropopause

d. troposphere

Before the 1980s, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were primarily used as ____. a. ingredients in fire extinguishers and propellants in aerosol cans b. coolants in air conditioners and industrial solvents c. buoyancy gas in blimps d. ingredients in bleach and propellants in aerosol cans e. coolants in air conditioners and propellants in aerosol cans

e. coolants in air conditioners and propellants in aerosol cans

In most years, atmospheric brown clouds cover an area about the size of ____. a. Tibet b. Shanghai c. India d. Poland e. the continental United States

e. the continental United States

Approximately how much of the air we breathe is composed of nitrogen and oxygen? a. 99% b. 66% c. 50% d. 33% e. 10%

a. 99%

What do all volatile organic compounds have in common? a. All are gases in the atmosphere. b. All are produced synthetically. c. All are emitted from processing and/or burning fossil fuels. d. All are greenhouse gases. e. All are naturally occurring colorless and odorless gases found in rocks and vegetation.

a. All are gases in the atmosphere.