C13.5 - Atmospheric pollutants

Question 1

What do all fossil fuels (oil, coal and natural gas) produce when they burn in plenty of air?

Answer 1

All fossil fuels (oil, coal and natural gas) produce carbon dioxide and water when they burn in plenty of air

Question 2

All fossil fuels (oil, coal and natural gas) produce carbon dioxide and water when they burn in plenty of air.
But, what do these fuels contain?

Answer 2

All fossil fuels (oil, coal and natural gas) produce carbon dioxide and water when they burn in plenty of air
But, these fuels contain other substances, as well as hydrocarbons

Question 3

All fossil fuels (oil, coal and natural gas) produce carbon dioxide and water when they burn in plenty of air.
But, these fuels contain other substances, as well as hydrocarbons.
What do impurities containing sulfur found in fuels do?

Answer 3

All fossil fuels (oil, coal and natural gas) produce carbon dioxide and water when they burn in plenty of air
But, these fuels contain other substances, as well as hydrocarbons
Impurities containing sulfur found in fuels cause major problems

Question 4

What do all fossil fuels contain?

Answer 4

All fossil fuels contain at least some sulfur

Question 5

All fossil fuels contain at least some sulfur.

What does this do?

Answer 5

All fossil fuels contain at least some sulfur

This reacts with oxygen when a fossil fuel is burned and forms a gas called sulfur dioxide

Question 6

All fossil fuels contain at least some sulfur.
This reacts with oxygen when a fossil fuel is burned and forms a gas called sulfur dioxide.
What is this acidic gas?

Answer 6

All fossil fuels contain at least some sulfur
This reacts with oxygen when a fossil fuel is burned and forms a gas called sulfur dioxide
This acidic gas is toxic

Question 7

All fossil fuels contain at least some sulfur.
This reacts with oxygen when a fossil fuel is burned and forms a gas called sulfur dioxide.
This acidic gas is toxic.
What is this?

Answer 7

All fossil fuels contain at least some sulfur
This reacts with oxygen when a fossil fuel is burned and forms a gas called sulfur dioxide
This acidic gas is toxic
This is bad for the environment

Question 8

All fossil fuels contain at least some sulfur.
This reacts with oxygen when a fossil fuel is burned and forms a gas called sulfur dioxide.
This acidic gas is toxic.
Why is this bad for the environment?

Answer 8

All fossil fuels contain at least some sulfur
This reacts with oxygen when a fossil fuel is burned and forms a gas called sulfur dioxide
This acidic gas is toxic
This is bad for the environment, as it is a cause of acid rain

Question 9

What does acid rain do?

Answer 9

Acid rain:

1. Damages trees, as well as killing animal and plant life in lakes
2. Attacks buildings, especially those made of limestone and metal structures

Question 10

All fossil fuels contain at least some sulfur.
This reacts with oxygen when a fossil fuel is burned and forms a gas called sulfur dioxide.
What can happen to the sulfur impurities in a fuel?

Answer 10

All fossil fuels contain at least some sulfur
This reacts with oxygen when a fossil fuel is burned and forms a gas called sulfur dioxide
The sulfur impurities can be removed from a fuel before the fuel is burnt

Question 11

All fossil fuels contain at least some sulfur.
This reacts with oxygen when a fossil fuel is burned and forms a gas called sulfur dioxide.
The sulfur impurities can be removed from a fuel before the fuel is burnt.
Where does this happen?

Answer 11

All fossil fuels contain at least some sulfur
This reacts with oxygen when a fossil fuel is burned and forms a gas called sulfur dioxide
The sulfur impurities can be removed from a fuel before the fuel is burnt
This happens in:
1. Petrol and diesel for cars
2. Gas-fired power stations

Question 12

The sulfur impurities can be removed from a fuel before the fuel is burnt.
This happens in:
1. Petrol and diesel for cars
2. Gas-fired power stations
How can sulfur dioxide also be removed from the waste or ‘flue’ gases in coal-fired power stations?

Answer 12

The sulfur impurities can be removed from a fuel before the fuel is burnt
This happens in:
1. Petrol and diesel for cars
2. Gas-fired power stations
In coal-fired power stations, sulfur dioxide can also be removed from the waste or ‘flue’ gases by reacting it with basic calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide

Question 13

Where can pollutants from fossil fuel power stations, especially old coal-fired power stations be deposited?

Answer 13

Pollutants from fossil fuel power stations, especially old coal-fired power stations, can be deposited on land and waterways

Question 14

All fossil fuels (oil, coal and natural gas) produce carbon dioxide and water when they burn in plenty of air.
But, these fuels contain other substances, as well as hydrocarbons.
Impurities containing sulfur found in fuels cause major problems.
What happens when fuel burns in a car engine?

Answer 14

All fossil fuels (oil, coal and natural gas) produce carbon dioxide and water when they burn in plenty of air
But, these fuels contain other substances, as well as hydrocarbons
Impurities containing sulfur found in fuels cause major problems
When fuel burns in a car engine, even more pollution can be produced

Question 15

What happens when any fuel containing carbon is burned?

Answer 15

When any fuel containing carbon is burned, it makes carbon dioxide

Question 16

When any fuel containing carbon is burned, it makes carbon dioxide.
What is carbon dioxide?

Answer 16

When any fuel containing carbon is burned, it makes carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas in the air

Question 17

When any fuel containing carbon is burned, it makes carbon dioxide.
Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas in the air.
What does it do?

Answer 17

When any fuel containing carbon is burned, it makes carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas in the air
It absorbs energy released as radiation from the surface of the Earth

Question 18

When any fuel containing carbon is burned, it makes carbon dioxide.
Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas in the air.
It absorbs energy released as radiation from the surface of the Earth.
What do most scientists think?

Answer 18

When any fuel containing carbon is burned, it makes carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas in the air
It absorbs energy released as radiation from the surface of the Earth
Most scientists think that this is causing global climate change

Question 19

What happens when there is not enough oxygen inside an engine?

Answer 19

When there is not enough oxygen inside an engine, incomplete combustion occurs

Question 20

Incomplete combustion

Answer 20

Incomplete combustion is when a fuel burns in insufficient oxygen, producing carbon monoxide as a toxic product

Question 21

When there is not enough oxygen inside an engine, incomplete combustion occurs.
What happens to all the carbon in the fuel?

Answer 21

When there is not enough oxygen inside an engine, incomplete combustion occurs
Instead of all the carbon in the fuel turning into carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, CO, is also formed

Question 22

When there is not enough oxygen inside an engine, incomplete combustion occurs.
Instead of all the carbon in the fuel turning into carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, CO, is also formed.
What is carbon monoxide?

Answer 22

Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas

It is colourless and odourless, so you cannot tell that you are breathing it in

Question 23

Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas
It is colourless and odourless, so you cannot tell that you are breathing it in.
What do your red blood cells?

Answer 23

Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas
It is colourless and odourless, so you cannot tell that you are breathing it in
Your red blood cells pick up carbon monoxide and carry it around in your blood instead of oxygen

Question 24

Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas.
It is colourless and odourless, so you cannot tell that you are breathing it in.
Your red blood cells pick up carbon monoxide and carry it around in your blood instead of oxygen.
What does the carbon monoxide do?

Answer 24

Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas
It is colourless and odourless, so you cannot tell that you are breathing it in
Your red blood cells pick up carbon monoxide and carry it around in your blood instead of oxygen
The carbon monoxide takes up the sites on haemoglobin in the red blood cells that usually bond to oxygen

Question 25

Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas. It is colourless and odourless, so you cannot tell that you are breathing it in. Your red blood cells pick up carbon monoxide and carry it around in your blood instead of oxygen. The carbon monoxide takes up the sites on haemoglobin in the red blood cells that usually bond to oxygen. So what happens to a victim of carbon monoxide poisoning?

Answer 25

Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas It is colourless and odourless, so you cannot tell that you are breathing it in Your red blood cells pick up carbon monoxide and carry it around in your blood instead of oxygen The carbon monoxide takes up the sites on haemoglobin in the red blood cells that usually bond to oxygen So a victim of carbon monoxide poisoning will become starved of oxygen, get drowsy, lose consciousness and then die if not removed from the source of the gas

Question 26

What do motor vehicles cause?

Answer 26

Motor vehicles cause air pollution

Question 27

Motor vehicles cause air pollution. | What are modern engines doing?

Answer 27

Motor vehicles cause air pollution | Modern engines are improving to meet governmental limits set for levels of different pollutants

Question 28

Motor vehicles cause air pollution. Modern engines are improving to meet governmental limits set for levels of different pollutants. However, what is there evidence of?

Answer 28

Motor vehicles cause air pollution Modern engines are improving to meet governmental limits set for levels of different pollutants However, there is evidence that the information on emissions published by some car manufacturers is unrealistically low

Question 29

Motor vehicles cause air pollution. Modern engines are improving to meet governmental limits set for levels of different pollutants. However, there is evidence that the information on emissions published by some car manufacturers is unrealistically low. What is this because?

Answer 29

Motor vehicles cause air pollution Modern engines are improving to meet governmental limits set for levels of different pollutants However, there is evidence that the information on emissions published by some car manufacturers is unrealistically low This is because their scientific tests are carried out in laboratories on roller tracks that do not resemble the conditions on real roads where higher levels of pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides, are measured

Question 30

What does the high temperature inside an engine also allow?

Answer 30

The high temperature inside an engine also allows the normally unreactive nitrogen gas in the air to react with oxygen

Question 31

The high temperature inside an engine also allows the normally unreactive nitrogen gas in the air to react with oxygen. What does this reaction make?

Answer 31

The high temperature inside an engine also allows the normally unreactive nitrogen gas in the air to react with oxygen This reaction makes nitrogen oxides

Question 32

The high temperature inside an engine also allows the normally unreactive nitrogen gas in the air to react with oxygen. This reaction makes nitrogen oxides. What are nitrogen oxides?

Answer 32

The high temperature inside an engine also allows the normally unreactive nitrogen gas in the air to react with oxygen This reaction makes nitrogen oxides Nitrogen oxides are toxic and can trigger some people's asthma

Question 33

The high temperature inside an engine also allows the normally unreactive nitrogen gas in the air to react with oxygen. This reaction makes nitrogen oxides. Nitrogen oxides are toxic and can trigger some people's asthma. Like sulfur dioxide, what do nitrogen oxides also cause?

Answer 33

The high temperature inside an engine also allows the normally unreactive nitrogen gas in the air to react with oxygen This reaction makes nitrogen oxides Nitrogen oxides are toxic and can trigger some people's asthma Like sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides also cause acid rain

Question 34

What do diesel engines do?

Answer 34

Diesel engines burn hydrocarbons with bigger molecules than those in petrol engines

Question 35

Diesel engines burn hydrocarbons with bigger molecules than those in petrol engines. What happens when these large molecules react with oxygen in an engine?

Answer 35

Diesel engines burn hydrocarbons with bigger molecules than those in petrol engines When these large molecules react with oxygen in an engine, they do not always burn completely

Question 36

Diesel engines burn hydrocarbons with bigger molecules than those in petrol engines. When these large molecules react with oxygen in an engine, they do not always burn completely. What happens?

Answer 36

Diesel engines burn hydrocarbons with bigger molecules than those in petrol engines When these large molecules react with oxygen in an engine, they do not always burn completely Tiny solid particles containing carbon and unburnt hydrocarbons are produced

Question 37

Particulates

Answer 37

Particulates are small solid particles given off from motor vehicles as a result of incomplete combustion of its fuel

Question 38

Nitrogen oxides

Answer 38

Nitrogen oxides are chemical compounds produced when high temperatures cause nitrogen gas in the air to react with oxygen Nitrogen oxides are toxic and can cause acid rain

Question 39

Diesel engines burn hydrocarbons with bigger molecules than those in petrol engines. When these large molecules react with oxygen in an engine, they do not always burn completely. Tiny solid particles containing carbon and unburnt hydrocarbons are produced. What do these particulates do?

Answer 39

Diesel engines burn hydrocarbons with bigger molecules than those in petrol engines When these large molecules react with oxygen in an engine, they do not always burn completely Tiny solid particles containing carbon and unburnt hydrocarbons are produced These particulates get carried into the air

Question 40

Diesel engines burn hydrocarbons with bigger molecules than those in petrol engines. When these large molecules react with oxygen in an engine, they do not always burn completely. Tiny solid particles containing carbon and unburnt hydrocarbons are produced. These particulates get carried into the air. Where do they travel into?

Answer 40

Diesel engines burn hydrocarbons with bigger molecules than those in petrol engines When these large molecules react with oxygen in an engine, they do not always burn completely Tiny solid particles containing carbon and unburnt hydrocarbons are produced These particulates get carried into the air They travel into the upper atmosphere, reflecting sunlight back into space, causing global dimming

Question 41

Global dimming

Answer 41

Global dimming is a process that reduces the amount of sunlight reaching the Earth’s surface It is caused by particulates in the atmosphere reflecting light back into space before it can reach Earth

Question 42

Particulates are small solid particles given off from motor vehicles as a result of incomplete combustion of its fuel. Particulates get carried into the air. They travel into the upper atmosphere, reflecting sunlight back into space, causing global dimming. What do scientists also think that they may do?

Answer 42

Particulates are small solid particles given off from motor vehicles as a result of incomplete combustion of its fuel Particulates get carried into the air They travel into the upper atmosphere, reflecting sunlight back into space, causing global dimming Scientists also think that they may damage the cells in our lungs and even cause cancer

Question 43

Summary of combustion of fossil fuels: How are nitrogen oxides produced?

Answer 43

Summary: | Nitrogen oxides are produced, because of the oxidation of nitrogen gas in air at high temperatures in vehicle engines

Question 44

Summary of combustion of fossil fuels: How is carbon monoxide, CO, produced?

Answer 44

Summary: | Carbon monoxide is produced, because of the incomplete combustion (in limited supply of oxygen)

Question 45

Summary of combustion of fossil fuels: How are particulates produced?

Answer 45

Summary: | Particulates are produced, because of burning diesel

Question 46

Summary of combustion of fossil fuels: How is sulfur dioxide, SO2, produced?

Answer 46

Summary: | Sulfur dioxide is produced, because of the oxidation of sulfur impurities in fossil fuels

Question 47

Summary of combustion of fossil fuels: How is carbon dioxide produced?

Answer 47

Summary: | Carbon dioxide is produced, because of the complete combustion (with sufficient oxygen available)

Question 48

SMOG

Answer 48

Smog is a mixture of SMoke and fOG

Question 49

What can cause smog to be formed?

Answer 49

A combination of many cars in a small area and the right weather conditions can cause smog to be formed

Question 50

A combination of many cars in a small area and the right weather conditions can cause smog to be formed. Smog is a mixture of SMoke and fOG. What is some of the yellowish brown colouration caused by?

Answer 50

A combination of many cars in a small area and the right weather conditions can cause smog to be formed Smog is a mixture of SMoke and fOG Some of the yellowish brown colouration is caused by the presence of nitrogen dioxide gas, NO2