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APES Air Pollution Flashcards

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12873638957particulates (tsp)non-gas emissions (solid or liquid)0
128736487022 main sources of particulate emissionagriculture and construction1
128736580743 ways to combat agriculture particulate emissionwindbreak, cover crops, no-till agriculture2
12873662254asbestossynthetic fiber used as insulation or fireproofing (all good until the material starts to fail and sheds asbestos fiber, a particulate)3
12873682862result of sulfur oxidessulfur oxide emissions from coal burning recombine with water vapor in the atmosphere to form sulfuric acid precipitation which lowers the pH of water; leading to loss of biodiversity, loss of habitat, reduced photosynthesis, and reduced primary productivity4
12873747452how to get rid of sulfur emissionsscrubbers, fluidized bed combustion, and pre washing the coal (all with limestone)5
12873758358nitrogen oxides (NOx)cause photochemical smog6
12873763766photochemical vs industrial smogchina has terrible industrial smog from coal burning, while the US has photochemical smog from car exhaust7
12873775134sulfur vs. nitrogensulfur emissions result from the burning of coal for electricity, nitrogen emissions result from the burning of petroleum for transport8
12873782238stratospheric ozonegood ozone, produces oxygen molecules to block UV radiation and prevent 95% of it from reaching the surface9
12873789031tropospheric ozoneBAD, ground-level ozone; respiratory irritant; affects old smokers and young children; disrupts photosynthesis; results from human pollution (automobile exhaust)10
12873805912ozone (O3)secondary air pollutant formed when sunlight catalyzes reactions between nitrogen oxides and volatile photochemical smog (associated with automobile exhaust)11
12873832638primary pollutionemitted directly from smokestacks, tailpipes, or natural emissions12
12873839815secondary pollutionform from interactions between primary pollutants13
12873851467thermal inversionwarm air traps cold air and pollutants near the earth; happens typically in the winter; causes smog14
12873865561clean air act criteria limitsTSP (particulates), SO2 (sulfur oxides), CO (carbon monoxide), NO2 (nitrous oxides), O3 (ozone), and lead (banned in gasoline)15
12921154125cyclical net zerocarbon from burning trees goes to the atmosphere and back to trees16
12921164307sources of CO2burning fossil fuels, land clearing17
12921167345sources of CH4incomplete decomposition (cattle flatulence, landfill gas, swamp gas...)18
12921203031sources of NOxautomobiles, agriculture processes, fertilizer19
12921218546water vapor as a greenhouse gasnot driven by anthropogenic causes20
12921231739CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons)ozone depleting gas in coolants and aerosol propellants - phased out in the Montreal Protocol21
12921254898black soot/black carboncomes from china & india (USA has scrubbers) and lands in snowfields and glaciers, reducing the albedo effect22
12940093369PANssecondary pollutant; component of photochemical smog (caused by nitrogen oxides)23
12921285838when does CO2 concentration peak?early spring because most of the land is in the Northern Hemisphere24
12940081296results of CO2 increase and climate change (???)frequency of more intense storm activity; sea level change (thermal expansion of water); global warming or cooling; changes in disease distribution; loss of agriculture; loss of biodiversity; reduction of the albedo effect25
12940128471primary reason for sea level changethermal expansion of water26
12940140492albedo effectreflecting of light/UV back into the upper atmosphere, reducing heating27
12940171404effect of volcanoes on climatevolcanoes have a cooling effect because particulates and sulfur particles reflect UV light back out28
12940220171climate change is a ___________ feedback looppositive29
12940226888environmental positive feedback loopsmelting of permafrost, burning fossil fuels, the ocean, trees30
12940235465carbon sinkspermafrost, trees, the ocean, fossil fuels31
12940273157Montreal ProtocolPhase out of ozone depleting substances (CFCs)32
12940285511effect of CFC's on the ozone layerCFCs break down ozone in the stratosphere33
12940304690Clean Air Actestablished national standards for states, strict auto emissions guidelines and regulations, which set air pollution standards for private industry; does not regulate commercial vehicles34
12940327382catalytic convertera platinum, coated device that oxidizes HC, NOx, and CO that would otherwise be emitted in exhaust, converting them to CO2, H2O, and N2.35
12940357873electrostatic precipitatora device that removes suspended particulates from power plants by applying a high-voltage electrostatic charge and collecting the particles on charged plates36
12940393395source of VOCsindustrial solvents and cleaners; carpets and furniture (polyester); primary pollutant largely based on hydrocarbons; shouldn't be used in small spaces without ventilation37
12940407030H2SO4sulfuric acid38
12940414301ozone is a __________ pollutantprimary (recombines) or secondary (emitted)39
12940421738natural gas pollutioncarbon monoxide40
12940430537mitigate vs remediatemitigate = offset, remediate = restore41
12940451774tropospheric ozone (formation)formed by the splitting of nitrous oxides in the presence of sunlight providing an extra oxygen atom to bond with O2 forming O342
12940469029pH of acid rainless than 5.6 (around 4.3 in the USA)43
12940494178causes of acid depositionnitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide are released into the atmosphere from car exhaust and fossil fuels; they react with water and other chemicals in the presence of sunlight to produce nitric and sulfuric acids44
12940533715to remediate an acidic lakeadd limestone (CACO3, calcium carbonate)45
12940540750CFCs ??? cycle thing - need to learn46
12940571802houses with ________ are at risk of radon exposurebasements; digging into rock introduces the risk of exposing uranium and releasing radon47
12940590895el ninoabnormal warming of surface ocean waters, west coast of South America, coast of Peru48
12940605363results of el ninoreversal of normal climate patterns, lack of upwelling (sad fishing industry)49
12940634670la ninacolder than normal waters off the coast of Peru50
12940626112results of la ninaintensification of normal climate patterns51
12958997136where is all of the life?troposphere52
12958999933where is the ozone layer?stratosphere53
12959006030order of the layers of the atmospheretroposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere54
12959011097most heavy gasses are found closer tosea level55
12959013774composition of the troposphere78% nitrogen 21% oxygen 0.93% argon 0.04% carbon dioxide (400PPM)56
12959030690photochemical smogO3 (ozone), PANs, and aldehydes (nitrogen oxides react with VOC's to form PAN's and aldehydes)57
12959052941trade windshighly consistent, reliable tropical winds58
12959058282westerliesmid-latitude winds59
12959062128polar easterliesunreliable cold winds that blow from the east to the west near the North Pole and South Pole60
12959075711coriolis effectlarge scale motions (trade winds) are influenced by earth's rotation61
12959088896burning hydrocarbons releasescarbon oxides62
12959101789hydrocarbonscoal, wood, oil (FOSSIL FUELS)63
12959115409CO2 vs COcarbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, carbon monoxide is a deadly poison64
12966399526doldrumsa frequently windless area near the Equator65
12966662521pollution treatment- primary: filters - secondary: aerobic bacteria breaks down remaining matter (bromine, iodone, UV radiation sanitize the water) - tertiary: vegetative absorbtion66
12971172225secondary pollution componentssunlight and water67

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