Unit 7

Question 1

air pollution

Answer 1

harmful substances released into the atmosphere, causing pollution and negatively impacting air quality

Question 2

primary pollutants

Answer 2

come directly from a source/emission source (smokestack or exhaust pipe)

Question 3

6 examples of primary pollutants

Answer 3

CO2, SO2, CO, NOx, VOCs and most particulates

Question 4

secondary pollutants

Answer 4

primary pollutants that have undergone transformation in the presence of water, sunlight, oxygen and other components

Question 5

Clean Air Act (1970)

Answer 5

identified 6 pollutants that jeopardize the environment and humans; states the standard amount of those pollutants and how much can be emitted and exist in the atmosphere

Question 6

thermal inversion

Answer 6

a warm layer of air (inversion layer) gets trapped between two cooler layers and causes smog to get trapped close to the ground

Question 7

volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

Answer 7

organic chemicals that evaporate easily and contribute to smog

Question 8

asphyxiant

Answer 8

a substance that can cause suffocation by displacing oxygen

Question 9

particulates

Answer 9

solid or liquid particles suspended in the air

Question 10

photochemical smog

Answer 10

a type of air pollution caused by the interaction of sunlight with pollutants

Question 11

acid rain

Answer 11

a type of precipitation with a pH level below 5.6 caused by air pollution

Question 12

wet and dry scrubbers

Answer 12

devices that remove pollutants from industrial gases emitted from smokestacks using liquid or solid sorbents

Question 13

acid deposition

Answer 13

the process of acidic substances being deposited onto the Earth’s surface

Question 14

noise pollution

Answer 14

the excessive and disturbing sound that disrupts the natural environment

Question 15

nitrogen oxides

Answer 15

pollutants released from burning fossil fuels and vehicle emissions