atmospheric issues Flashcards
(71 cards)
Air pollutant
Airborne particles and gases that occur in concentrations that endanger health and well-being of organisms, or disrupt the orderly functioning of the environment
Primary Air Pollutant
a chemical that has been added directly to the air by natural events and occurs in harmful concentrations
Secondary Air Pollutant
harmful chemical formed in the atmosphere by reacting with normal air components or other air pollutants
Brief resident time
local impacts over a short period of time
example of brief resident time
vehicle exhaust
Longer resident time
regional to global impacts over long periods
example of longer resident time
greenhouse gases and ozone depleters
What type of pollutants are most harmful to humans?
carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter
Where does carbon monoxide come from
from incomplete fuel combustion
Where does nitrogen oxide come from
reaction of nitrogen and oxygen due to high engines
Where does volatile organic compounds come from
from industrial solvents and vehicles
Where does sulfur dioxide come from
from electricity and energy
Where does particulate matter come from
from dust and combustion processes
Major sources of air pollution (general categories)
natural, stationary, mobile
Major specific sources of air pollution
transportation (mobile), fuel combustion, solid waste disposal, industrial processes
What is our most common air quality problem
Smog
What did smog first mean
smoke and fog
Two types of smog
industrial and photo chemical
Smog capital of U.S.
Los angeles
Smog capital of the world
Mexico city
Ranking pollutants for what they are
1) Carbon monoxide
2) Nitrogen Oxides
3) Volatile Organics
4) Sulfur Oxides
5) Particulates
Ranking pollutants for where they come from
1) Transportation
2) Stationary source fuel combustion
3) Industrial process
4) Miscellaneous
5) Solid Wast disposal
What kind of weather make smog worse
Hot weatehr
Where was the world’s first air pollution disaster
Belgium
