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Env. Science
Chapter 12 Review
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is Air Pollution? | The contamination of the atmosphere by wastes from sources such as industrial burning and automobile exhausts |
| What is a Primary Pollutant? | One that is put directly into the atmosphere by human or natural activity. An example would be soot from smoke. |
| What are some examples of Primary Pollutants? | Carbon Monoxide, sulfuroxides |
| What is a Secondary Pollutant? | One that forems in the atmosphere by chemical reactions with primary air pollutants, natural components in the air, or both. |
| What are some examples of Secondary Pollutants? | Nitric Acids, smog |
| When do Secondary Pollutants form? | When a primary pollutant comes into contact with other primary pollutants, or with naturally occurring substances such as water vapor, and a chemical reaction takes place. |
| What does the Clean Air Act do? | It gives the EPA the authority to regulate vehicle emissions in the US. |
| What happens when automobile emissions react with oxygen gas and ultraviolet rays? | Ozone is formed. |
| Two-thirds of the sulfur dioxide that pollutes the air is produced by WHAT? | electric power plants. |
| What are primary sources of Particulate Matter? | Activities such as construction and agriculture |
| What removes some of the more harmful substances that would otherwise pollute the air? | Scrubbers |
| WHAT is a scrubber? | A machine that moves gasses through a spray of water that removes many pollutants. |
| What would cause the smallest increase in smog in an urban area? | Combustion of ethanol in cars. |
| What does smog result from? | from chemical reactions that involve sunlight, automobile exhaust, and ozone. |
| Temperature inversions work to trap WHAT? | To trap pollution when warmer air above keeps cooler air at the surface from moving upward. |
| The circulation of air in the atmosphere usually usually keeps air pollution from WHAT? | from reaching dangerous levels. |
| Particulates can form WHAT? | Clouds that reduce visibility |
| What is the largest producer of primary air pollutants in the US? | electricity production |
| Name the 3 effects of air pollution on human health: | chronic bronchitis, asthma, and emphysema |
| What is Sick-Building Syndrome? | Caused by indoor air pollutants in air tight buildings. |
| WHAT can lower the level of oxygen carried in the blood? | Carbon Monoxide |
| WHAT is on way that radon and asbestos are similar? | They both increase the risk of cancer |
| Radon is one of the elements produced by the decay of WHAT? | Uranium |
| What is Uranium? | A radioactive element that occurs naturally in the Earth's Crust. |
| Schools in the United States have spent over $40 million to remove WHAT? | asbestos |
| WHAT is found in building's foam insulation? | VOC's |
| What does VOC stand for? | Volatile Organic Compounds |
| Permanent deafness results from continuous or long-term exposure to sounds over HOW MANY decibels? | over 120 decibels |
| Light pollution can be decreased by directing lighting WHICH WAY? | downward |
| The lower the pH number is, the more__________a substance is. | acidic |
| The higher the pH number is, the more__________a substance is. | alkaline |
| Acid precipitation can be traced back to the burning of WHAT? | fossil fuels |
| When fossil fuels are burned, they release oxides of WHAT? | sulfur and nitrogen |
| Acid precipitation means that the pH of measurements of rainwater would be below WHAT? | 5 |
| When the acidity of soil increases, what happens to some of the nutrients? | They are dissolved and washed away. |
| When the acidic rainwater reaches lakes,__________is leaked into the lake causing toxic conditions. | aluminum |
| Sulfur dioxide in water vaper does what to the openings on the surfaces of plants? | clogs the openings |
| Because of acid precipitation falls__________, the problem of solving acid precipitation has been difficult, especially at the international level. | downwind |
| Most of the pollution that causes acid precipitation to fall in southeastern Canada is released from Where? | The Midwestern and Eastern US. |