Air Pollution Vocabulary

Question 1

The presence in or introduction into the air of a substance which has harmful or poisonous effects.

Answer 1

Air Pollution

Question 2

Gases in Earth’s atmosphere

Answer 2

Greenhouse Gasses

Question 3

A colorless, odorless gas produced by burning carbon and by respiration.

Answer 3

Carbon Dioxide

Question 4

A gaseous air pollutant composed of sulfur and oxygen.

Answer 4

Sulfur Dioxide

Question 5

Any of several oxides of nitrogen most of which are produced in combustion.

Answer 5

Nitrogen Oxides.

Question 6

A colorless, odorless toxic flammable gas formed by incomplete combustion of carbon.

Answer 6

Carbon monoxide

Question 7

A complex mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets.

Answer 7

Particulates

Question 8

An odorless, colorless gas made up of three oxygen molecules.

Answer 8

Ozone

Question 9

An elemental heavy metal found naturally in the environment as well as in manufactured products. Can be released directly into the air as suspended particles.

Answer 9

Lead

Question 10

A large group of chemicals that are found in many products we use to build and maintain our homes.

Answer 10

VOCs

Question 11

Air pollutants for which acceptance levels of exposure can be determined and for which an ambient air quality standard has been set.

Answer 11

Criteria Air Pollutants

Question 12

A comprehensive Federal law that regulates all sources of air emissions.

Answer 12

Clean Air Act

Question 13

The gases and particles which are put into the air or emitted by various sources.

Answer 13

Emissions

Question 14

Any single identifiable source of pollution from which pollutants are discharged

Answer 14

Point source

Question 15

Occurs when runoff from rain and snowmelt carries pollutants into waterways.

Answer 15

Nonpoint source

Question 16

An air pollutant emitted directly from a source

Answer 16

Primary pollutant

Question 17

Pollution caused by reactions in air already polluted by primary emissions.

Answer 17

Secondary pollutant

Question 18

The transportation of aerial pollutants in the outdoor atmosphere after being emitted from the sources.

Answer 18

Dispersion

Question 19

A measure of how clean or polluted the air is.

Answer 19

Air Quality

Question 20

any form of precipitation with acidic components

Answer 20

Acid precipitation

Question 21

Cold air at the surface gets trapped under a layer of warmer air.

Answer 21

Temperature inversion

Question 22

A thing part of Earth’s atmosphere that absorbs almost all of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet light.

Answer 22

Ozone Layer

Question 23

Any of a class of compounds of carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, fluorine that are typically used in aerosol propellants and refrigerants.

Answer 23

CFCs

Question 24

A global agreement to protect the stratospheric ozone layer by phasing out the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances.

Answer 24

Montreal Protocol