chpt 12

Question 1

air pollution

Answer 1

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

Question 2

primary pollutant

Answer 2

A primary pollutant is an air pollutant emitted directly from a source. A secondary pollutant is not directly emitted as such, but forms when other pollutants (primary pollutants) react in the atmosphere

Question 3

secondary pollutant

Answer 3

Secondary pollutants are pollutants which form in the atmosphere. These pollutants are not emitted directly from a source (like vehicles or power plants). … Photochemical smog is made up of various secondary pollutants like ozone, peroxyacyl nitrates (PANs), and nitric acid (seen in Figure 2).

Question 4

smog

Answer 4

fog or haze combined with smoke and other atmospheric pollutants.

Question 5

temperature inversion

Answer 5

the action of inverting something or the state of being inverted.

Question 6

sick-building syndrome

Answer 6

Introduction. The term “sick building syndrome” (SBS) is used to describe situations in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified.

Question 7

asbestos

Answer 7

a heat-resistant fibrous silicate mineral that can be woven into fabrics, and is used in fire-resistant and insulating materials such as brake linings.

Question 8

decibel

Answer 8

a unit used to measure the intensity of a sound or the power level of an electrical signal by comparing it with a given level on a logarithmic scale.

Question 9

acid precipitation

Answer 9

Acid rain is a rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually acidic, meaning that it has elevated levels of hydrogen ions. It can have harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals, and infrastructure

Question 10

pH

Answer 10

a figure expressing the acidity or alkalinity of a solution on a logarithmic scale on which 7 is neutral, lower values are more acid and higher values more alkaline. The pH is equal to −log10 c, where c is the hydrogen ion concentration in moles per liter.

Question 11

acid shock

Answer 11

A sudden increase in the level of acidity of surface waters (lakes, streams, and rivers) in mid‐latitude areas, caused by the melting in spring of snow that has accumulated through the winter, and stored dry fallout of acidic precipitation. An acid shock can cause significant damage to freshwater species and habitats.