Air Pollution

Question 1

What percentage of clean, dry air is nitrogen near sea level?

Answer 1

78%

Question 2

What is the main source of carbon monoxide (CO) emissions?

Answer 2

Motor vehicles

Question 3

What event in 1948 led to over 20 deaths and 6,000 illnesses due to air pollution?

Answer 3

The Donora, Pennsylvania smog incident

Question 4

What are considered primary pollutants?

Answer 4

Pollutants emitted directly from a source and retain their form — CO, NO₂, SO₂, hydrocarbons, TSP

Question 5

What pollutant is associated with ‘Killer Fog’ in London, 1952?

Answer 5

Sulfur dioxide (SO₂)

Question 6

What does PM₁₀ refer to?

Answer 6

Particulate matter with a diameter ≤ 10 micrometers

Question 7

What is the health effect of PM₂.₅ particles?

Answer 7

They can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause respiratory issues

Question 8

What act set standards for ambient air quality and included 5 major goals?

Answer 8

The Clean Air Act (CAA)

Question 9

What control method is best used to remove particles from air using water?

Answer 9

Wet scrubber

Question 10

What protocol was created in 1987 to reduce CFC emissions and protect the ozone layer?

Answer 10

The Montreal Protocol

Question 11

What gas makes up 21% of clean, dry air near sea level?

Answer 11

Oxygen (O₂)

Question 12

What are the 5 primary pollutants listed for the REHS exam?

Answer 12

CO, SO₂, NO₂, hydrocarbons, total suspended particles

Question 13

What does AQI stand for?

Answer 13

Air Quality Index

Question 14

What federal law sets limits on air pollutants?

Answer 14

Clean Air Act

Question 15

What are the 6 criteria pollutants defined by the EPA?

Answer 15

CO, Pb, NO₂, O₃, PM, SO₂

Question 16

What size particles are PM₂.₅?

Answer 16

Particles with a diameter ≤ 2.5 micrometers

Question 17

What pollutant forms from the reaction of sunlight with VOCs and NOx?

Answer 17

Ozone (O₃)

Question 18

What is the main cause of acid rain?

Answer 18

Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxides (NOx)

Question 19

What are the two major types of sources of air pollution?

Answer 19

Mobile and stationary sources

Question 20

What instrument is used to detect hydrocarbons using ionization?

Answer 20

Flame Ionizing Detector

Question 21

What does PM stand for?

Answer 21

Particulate Matter

Question 22

What international treaty banned substances that deplete the ozone layer?

Answer 22

Montreal Protocol

Question 23

Which pollutant is odorless, colorless, and deadly at high concentrations?

Answer 23

Carbon monoxide (CO)

Question 24

Which pollutant is the biggest contributor to smog formation?

Answer 24

Ground-level ozone (O₃)

Question 25

What is the main greenhouse gas responsible for global warming?

Answer 25

Carbon dioxide (CO₂)

Question 26

What is the term for air pollution that forms when pollutants react in the atmosphere?

Answer 26

Secondary pollutants

Question 27

What is a common health effect of breathing in particulate matter?

Answer 27

Respiratory issues such as asthma and bronchitis

Question 28

What is the name of the phenomenon where air pollution is trapped near the surface?

Answer 28

Temperature inversion

Question 29

What are the 5 goals of the Clean Air Act?

Answer 29

Reduce emissions, improve air quality, protect public health, set standards, enforce regulations

Question 30

What type of scrubber is used to remove gases and vapors?

Answer 30

Packed tower scrubber

Question 31

What indoor pollutant is associated with mold and asthma?

Answer 31

Biological contaminants (e.g., mold spores)

Question 32

What organization sets national air quality standards in the U.S.?

Answer 32

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Question 33

What pollutant is associated with metal fumes from welding?

Answer 33

Fumes: metal oxides

Question 34

What is Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)?

Answer 34

A condition where building occupants experience health effects linked to time spent in a building

Question 35

What is the difference between SBS and Building Related Illness (BRI)?

Answer 35

BRI has identifiable causes; SBS symptoms are nonspecific

Question 36

What is the purpose of the Air Quality Index (AQI)?

Answer 36

To communicate daily air quality and associated health risks

Question 37

What is the function of electrostatic precipitators?

Answer 37

Remove particulates using electrical charge

Question 38

What air pollutant comes mostly from power plants and industrial boilers?

Answer 38

Sulfur dioxide (SO₂)

Question 39

What method is used to sample air into vacuum-sealed plastic bags?

Answer 39

Tedlar bag sampling

Question 40

Which pollutant is measured using parts per billion (ppb) due to its low threshold?

Answer 40

Ozone (O₃)