environmental science chapter 12/13

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first form of clean air act was imposed by who?

King Edward I

What is radon?

a colorless, tasteless, odorless gas. produced by decay of uranium. enters lungs during inhalation. it is the second leading cause of lung cancer

Montreal protocol

a group of nations agreed to take action against the ozone depletion. they agreed to sharply decrease their amount of CFC intake.

primary pollution

a pollutant that is put directly into the air by human activity

ozone hole

a thinning of the stratospheric ozone that occurs over the poles during the spring

what is the increase in concentration of soil and water called

acidification

increased acidity causes what to be released?

aluminum and other toxic metals

air pollution

build up of harmful substances in the air to unhealthy levels

sick building syndrome

buildings that have very poor air quality have a condition. most common in hot places where buildings are tightly sealed to keep out heat

what are effects of acid rain?

can contaminate lakes and kill fish and aquatic life. the fish suffocate. can hurt crops, water, and fish which can hurt the human body. effects in one country can affect other places so it is an international concern

what happens to cool air over the equator

can't sink because hot air is rising below the cool air. air becomes warmer as it descends

what is the major greenhouse gas on earth?

carbon dioxide

what is sound measured in?

decibels

latitude

distance north or south of the equator

light pollution

does not present hazard to human health. does negatively impact our environment. concern focused on light waste

sulfur dioxide

produced by chemical interactions between sulfur and oxygen. comes mostly from burning fossil fuels

acid precipitation

rain, sleet, or snow that contains a high concentration of acids. combination of sulfur and nitrogen with water in the air

what is the main cause of smog?

released by vehicles and industries

what does burning fossil fuels do to the air?

releases sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the air

what do scrubbers do?

remove some of the more harmful substances that would otherwise pollute the air. It's a machine that moves gases through a spray of water that dissolves many pollutants

Kyoto Protocal

requires developed countries to decrease emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

Asbestos

several minerals that form in long, thin fibers and are valued for their strength and resistance to heat. primarily used as an insulator and as a fire retardant.

acid shock

sudden influx of acidic water that causes a rapid change in the water's pH, can kill large amounts of fish and hurt reproductive system

Solar Maxinum

sun emits an increased amount of ultraviolet radiation.

high latitudes

sun hits at oblique angle, temps are lower

climate

the long-term prevailing weather conditions at a particular place based upon records

la nina

the water in eastern pacific is cooler than usual.

what causes seasonal changes in climate?

tilt of earths axis

Smog

when air pollution hangs over urban areas and reduces bility. This is caused by sunlight, air, and automobile exhaust, and ozone

Secondary pollutants

when primary pollutants react with other primary pollutants or with naturally occurring substances such as water vapor

polar stratospheric clouds

when temperatures fall below about -80degrees celsius, high altitude clouds made of water and nitric acid. product of CFCs

prevailing winds

winds that blow predominantly in one direction throughout the year

where is the equator located?

0 degrees celsius

low latitudes

12 hours of sun year round, no summer or winter , temps high year round.

Pacific Decadal Oscillation

20/30 year change in the location of warm and cold water masses in the pacific ocean.

trade winds

30 north to 30 south

westerlies

30-60 north and 30-60 south

normal precipitation pH

5.6

pH of pure water

7

primary air pollutants?

Carbon monoxide, Nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxides, volatile organic compounds, particulate matter

what city often has temperature inversions?

Los angeles, since it is surrounded by 3 mountains (valleys)

What does the Clean Air Act require many industries to use?

Scrubbers

what produces more ozone

UV radiation that warms stratosphere

what country did not ratify the Kyoto protocol?

United States

global warming

average temperature on earth's surface increase

what is the only true zero emission vehicle?

battery opporated

trade winds

belts of winds between 30 degree north and south

Volatile organic compounds

chemicals that vaporize readily and form toxic fumes

what rapidly destroys ozone?

chlorine atoms that have been split by UV rays

Examples of indoor air pollutants?

cigarettes, bleach, gasoline, fungi, radon, methylene chloride, carbon monoxide

What are catalytic converters used for?

clean exhaust gases of pollutants before the pollutants are able to exit the tailpipe

El Nino-southern Osicilation cycle

combo of el nino and la nina

Nitrogen Oxides

combustion temps exceed 538 degrees celsius. comes from burning fuel in vehicles, power plants and industrial boilers

what are long term effects of air pollution?

emphysema, lung cancer,

greenhouse gases

gases that absorb and radiate heat

What was one act the EPA has passed?

gradual elimination of lead in gasoline, and as a result, lead pollution has been reduced by more than 90% in the US

example of a secondary pollutant

ground level ozone

zero emission vehicles

have no tailpipe emissions, no emissions from gasoline, and no emission-control systems, which deteriorate over time.

chlorofluorocarbons

human-made chemicals that damage the ozone layer. they do this by breaking apart in the stratosphere

what is the most effective way to maintain good indoor air quality?

identifying and removing the sources of indoor air pollution

factors that determine climate

latitude, wind, ocean currents, geography, solar and volcanic activity

acid precipitation pH

less than 5

what are consequences of global warming?

melting ice causing rising sea levels, change in global weather patterns changing ocean currents, and could cause a greater number of heat related deaths and could cause an increase in certain diseases like malaria.

el Nino

name given to short-term, periodic change in location of warm and cold water masses in the pacific ocean. causes drought in indonesia and australia. rainfall in southern us

pH

number is a measure of how acidic or basic a substance.

temperature inversion

occurs when the air above is warmer than the air below. this traps pollutants with cooler air

sources of carbon monoxide

odorless, colorless, poisonous gas. cars, trucks, buses, small engines, and some industrial processes

Clean Air Act

passed in 1970, gives the EPA the authority to regulate vehicle emissions in the United States

what is most of the CO2 that is released into the air dissolve in?

plants or ocean

particulate matter

tiny particles of liquid or solid matter. comes from construction, agriculture, forestry, and fires.

many effects of air pollution are short term and reversible. T/F

true

t/f acid preparation can cause a drop in the pH of soil and water

true

Noise pollution

unwanted sound. damages our hearing by destroying cells in our ears. 12% of teens have permanent hearing loss

when solar energy heats the ground......

warm air rises and cooler air rises

what happens to air moving towards the poles?

warms

what are the major greenhouse gases?

water vapor, carbon dioxide, CFC. methane, and nitrous oxide


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