5759576200 | make-up of earths atmosphere | - 78% nitrogen - 21% oxygen - 0.1% at poles, 4% at tropics water vapor - less than 1% argon - 0.038% CO2 | 0 | |
5759576201 | troposphere | where the air we breathe and our weather occurs. Where most air pollution stays. Location of greenhouse effect. Has the most air pressure. | 1 | |
5759577812 | stratosphere | Location of the ozone layer. Planes often fly in this layer. | 2 | |
5759577813 | mesosphere | Very thin air layer where meteor showers occur. | 3 | |
5759580260 | thermosphere | Where astronauts orbit within. Thinnest layer of air molecules seen here. | 4 | |
5759580261 | primary pollutants | Any pollutant that comes from a direct source. Not formed due to a chemical combination of other pollutants. Most common are: CO, NOx, SO2, PM, VOCs, lead | 5 | |
5759581260 | secondary pollutants | Any pollutant that must be made when other pollutants chemically combine. Most common are: ozone, photochemical smog, industrial smog. | 6 | |
5759581261 | NOx | Nitrogen Oxides. Forms acid rain. Also creates ozone/photochemical smog. Comes from combustion of fossil fuels. Cause respiratory problems and eye irritation. | 7 | |
5759581262 | SO2 | Not a greenhouse gas. Primary by-product of burning coal. Creates acid rain with NOx. Comes from combustion of fossil fuels and volcanoes. Aggravates asthma and eye irritation. | 8 | |
5759582621 | VOCs | Volatile Organic Compounds. Creates ozone. Primary pollutant in air fresheners, cleaning products, paints, and solvents. Causes liver/kidney/nervous system damages, and cancer. | 9 | |
5759582622 | PM | Particle Matter. Comes from forest fires, incinerators, wind based soil erosion and combustion of fossil fuels. Eye irritation and respiratory problems. Classifies buildings as sick. | 10 | |
5759582623 | lead | Comes from combustion of fossil fuels, incinerators and old paint dust. Causes brain, liver, and kidney damage. From the burning of leaded gasoline. | 11 | |
5759582624 | ozone | O3. Formation of secondary pollution form NOx and VOCs in sunlight. Good in stratosphere because it prevents sunburns, bad in troposphere because it causes major health risks. O + O2 are formed after ozone is introduced to UV light. | 12 | |
5759584768 | photochemical smog | hazy mix made up of mostly ozone along with other pollutants. Formed with the presence of sunlight. | 13 | |
5759586067 | industrial smog | hazy mix made up of mostly from reactions between SO2 and PM | 14 | |
5759587483 | factors increasing air pollution | - lack of wind - urban building, means slow winds. - mountains, block wind movement - high temperatures, allow chemical reactions to occur - low precipitation levels/low humidity | 15 | |
5759587484 | grasshopper effect | pollutants from tropical areas are transported to polar areas due to wind/water currents. Explains how pollution can get to areas without large populations. | 16 | |
5759596137 | thermal inversion | normal weather patterns have air pollutants follow the warm air moving to cold air higher in the air. Cold air settles at surface and is capped by a warm air mass. | 17 | |
5759608317 | factors reducing air pollution | - particulates can settle out over time - precipitation brings particles to ground - ocean spray brings particles to ground - winds - chemical reactions change pollutants | 18 | |
5759609727 | electrostatic precipitators | particle-filled exhaust is fed through a negative charge plate to make particles negatively charged. Exhaust then goes through a positively charged collection area. Particles stick to collection area and exhaust comes out with less PM. | 19 | |
5759609728 | scrubbers | Exhaust is fed through this machine. It is sprayed with water and various chemicals. These grab and neutralize exhaust pollutants. Waste materials are then collected at the bottom of the scrubber. | 20 | |
5759613016 | fluidized bed combustion | Fuel is burned in a hot bed of bubbling ash and sand. Hot air is blown through ash to make it act like a fluid. These conditions cause the fuel to burn at a lower temperature and results in a lower emission of air pollutants. | 21 | |
5759613017 | sick building syndrome | buildings in which people get sick in when they spend time in them (get better when not in them) - 1 in 5 of US buildings are sick - Tobacco smoke, formaldahyde, radon, PM are the biggest pollutants. | 22 | |
5759616680 | 4 biggest indoor air pollutants in US | Tobacco smoke, formaldahyde, radon, particle matter | 23 | |
5759616681 | radon | colorless, odorless, radioactive gas. From natural decay of uranium in soil. Is inert, but it decays into carcinogenic materials. Results in lung cancer over long-term. | 24 | |
5759616682 | asbestos | common mineral used in insulation. Ultimately leads to mesothelioma. Is not used in the US, but still in developing nations. | 25 | |
5759618541 | mesothelioma | a type of lung cancer that stems from asbestos | 26 | |
5759618542 | formealdehyde | colorless, flammable gas. Irritates respiratory linings, eyes, and skin. Found in various household products. | 27 | |
5759653378 | acid rain ph | normal precipitation pH is around 5.6. Acid precipitation is any pH below 5.6 | 28 | |
5759654907 | acid deposition | another name for acid precipitation. Wet and dry deposition. Half is wet, half is dry. | 29 | |
5759657716 | dry deposition | Acid chemicals become incorporated into dust or smoke and fall to the ground as particles. Happens mostly in dry areas. Occurs 2-3 days after the pollution of acid deposition causing chemicals. | 30 | |
5773622807 | wet deposition | occurs within 4-14 days after pollution of acid deposition causing chemicals. Examples are rain, fog, sleet, snow. | 31 | |
5759657717 | causes of acid rain | - Volcanoes release gases that can create acid precipitation. - Humans pollute environment with SO2 and NOx | 32 | |
5759659432 | formation of acid rain | When SO2 and NOx are combined with water, they create sulfuric acid and nitric acid, respectively. | 33 | |
5759659433 | sulfuric acid | H2SO4 | 34 | |
5759660983 | nitric acid | HNO3 | 35 | |
5759661963 | effects of acid rain | - acid rain removes minerals and nutrients from the soil. Depletes soil of Ca, Mg, K, Na. Maximizes amounts of Pb, Al - Increases the pH of bodies of water and kills aquatic wildlife. - when acid rain lands on infrastructure, the sulfuric and nitric acids damage it. - Can cause lung and heart diseases due to inhalation of particulates. | 36 | |
5759661964 | acid shock | sudden change in water chemistry | 37 | |
5759663782 | episodic acidification | Melting snow and heavy downpours cause this. Lakes pH increases temporarily due to it, soil cannot buffer it. | 38 | |
5759664983 | limestone | CaCO3. Soils based with this rock have less problems with acid rain because the chemical in the rock neutralizes the acid. | 39 | |
5759666890 | location of acid rain problems | East. This is because the winds carry the rain from west to east. This is also why china has the worst acid rain deposition. | 40 | |
5759666891 | possible solutions to acid rain | Long-term: regulations and alternative energy. Short-term: scrubbers, baghouses, electrostatic precipitators. | 41 | |
5759670048 | ozone layer | stratospheric layer that blocks 95% of ultraviolet light from reaching the earth. | 42 | |
5773553419 | GLOBAL WARMING | THE OZONE LAYER IS NOT RELATED TO | 43 | |
5759670049 | UV radiation | one of the most common types of solar radiation. Highest energy level. Shortest wavelength. Not visible to naked eye. Causes cancer. Ozone layer blocks this type of radiation. | 44 | |
5759671805 | dobson unit | the unit ozone is measured in | 45 | |
5759671806 | CFCs | chlorofluorocarbons/freons. Man-made chemicals made for refrigerators, air conditioners, aerosols, and styrofoam. It takes 20 years for this pollutant to reach the ozone layer. Destroys ozone molecules. | 46 | |
5759675083 | ozone thinning | Hole is over Antarctica. Thinning occurs in their spring, Oct-Dec. Thinning occurs when there are very cold temperatures and lots of sunlight. | 47 | |
5759676677 | chemistry of ozone layer | CFC (CCL3F) + UV light = Cl + CCl2F | 48 | |
5759676678 | montreal protocol | a meeting in 1987 by nations to solve ozone thinning. A treaty was made, and signed by most nations, asking nations to phase out the use of CFCs. Has stabilized ozone thinning, but has not decreased it. | 49 | |
5759679337 | effects of ozone thinning | - More exposure to UV light, which causes sunburns, eye damage, and skin cancer - Death of plants and algae. This disrupts food chains and reduces the productivity of plants and algae in the ocean. | 50 | |
5759681624 | ocean currents | - cold water is denser than warm water - salty water is more dense than less-salty water. - water gets saltier if rate of evaporation is high - low latitudes cause water to get warmer, vice versa - difference in temp between the poles and the equator causes currents. | 51 | |
5759687583 | infrared radiation | moderate energy level. Different color wavelengths are present. No major health effects from exposure. | 52 | |
5759696836 | el nino | When the temperature around the equator increases. In normal conditions, winds blow westward towards Australia and the water is cold. During this phenomenon, the trade winds weaken, which allows the warm water to move east. | 53 | |
5759699181 | la nina | when the ocean temperatures decrease instead of increase. | 54 | |
5759702237 | reason for earths seasons | the light hitting the northern hemisphere is being hit at an angle, so the light is less direct and does not cause the temperature to rise as much as it does in the southern hemisphere. Vice versa. | 55 | |
5759702238 | ocean conveyor | the way seawater moves. it works through thermohaline circulation, moves water between deep and surface oceanwater. | 56 | |
5759704068 | greenhouse effect | a natural phenomenon that explains how infrared radiation is dealt with on Earth | 57 | |
5759707149 | top 6 greenhouse gases | water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, CFCs, ozone | 58 | |
5759731935 | CO2 | also known as carbon dioxide. from burning organic matter (fossil fuels are the biggest contributor) and decomposition of organics. | 59 | |
5759731936 | CH4 | also known as methane. from decomposition of animal waste, burning biomass, landfills, sewage, wetlands, rice paddies (which are wetlands). Other gas involved in increasing temperature on Earth. | 60 | |
5759731937 | N2O | also known as nitrous oxide. Released from bacterial action of fertilizer or animal wastes in soil (denitrification). One of the gases involved in increasing temperature on Earth | 61 | |
5759733155 | H2O | from evaporation, plant transpiration. When mixed with SO2 and NOx to create acid rain. | 62 | |
5759742833 | how greenhouse gas levels have changed over time | all have had their highest levels in the past century. All of the gases have shown fluctuations over time. Major spike after Industrial Revolution | 63 | |
5759748656 | reasons for fluctuations in CO2 seen each year | Northern hemisphere has more vegetation, which sucks in CO2 when in bloom and releases it when it dies. When north has winter, CO2 levels go up; down in the summer. | 64 | |
5759748657 | mauna loa | where first modern measures of CO2 where taken in the late 1950s. Volcano in hawaii. Found out that CO2 levels fluctuate every year. | 65 | |
5759748658 | ice cores | primary tool to collect temperature data from before 1800's. Collected from glaciers and Antarctica. Measure amount of atmospheric gas and temperature. Traps bubbles containing sample of atmosphere. | 66 | |
5759750926 | O-16 v O-18 | O-16 is lighter than O-18, which evaporates slower. Most ice is made with O-16. When ice samples have high percentages of O-18, then we know the temperature was higher than normal during that year. | 67 | |
5759753340 | glacial cycles | period of 100,000 years | 68 | |
5759755121 | intergalcial cycles | period of 10,000 years | 69 | |
5759757173 | sediment cores | collected from the bottom of oceans, lakes, or other bodies of water. Pollen is often collected and is used to determine temperature by showing what plants were living at the time the sediment was laid. | 70 | |
5759757174 | glacial melting | Increase runoff in India, China, and Bangladesh. More flooding will occur in these areas. | 71 | |
5759759303 | loss of sea ice | Benefit of this is increased shipping routes so more trade. Although tundra and taiga are both at risk. | 72 | |
5759761433 | changes in migration | Birds are returning home sooner that ever before because plants are blooming earlier and dying earlier. The snow melts earlier, so there is more food for birds, making them want to come back. | 73 | |
5759764546 | reasons for sea level increases | the higher temperature of the air is causing the ice glaciers to melt, which in turn makes sea level rise. | 74 | |
5759764547 | ocean acidification | carbonic acid breaks down into carbonate and hydrogen ions. Leads to the loss in the amount of carbonate in the water which is needed by organisms to make their shells. | 75 | |
5759766229 | carbonic acid | H2CO3. Lowers the pH of the water. | 76 | |
5759774301 | effects of ocean acidification | Coral bleaching and death of coral reefs and other carbonate-based organisms. | 77 | |
5759774302 | coral bleaching | atmospheric carbon dioxide is absorbed by seawater. Moves from atmospheric sink to oceanic sink. | 78 | |
5759775504 | increased permafrost melting | stores massive amounts of carbon and when released, the stored carbon in the form of carbon dioxide and methane causes erosion, disappearance of lakes, landslides, and ground subsidence. | 79 | |
5759778687 | ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions | - use less energy created via fossil fuels - buy less things and use less - changes to energy sources with no emissions - stop habitat loss - sustainable forestry - slow population growth - limit fertilizer use and plowing on lands | 80 | |
5759804340 | carbon sequestration by plants | plants remove CO2 and isolated carbon in the plant as sugar. Inefficent because CO2 is still released when the plant dies. | 81 | |
5759804341 | afforestation | establishment of a stand of trees. This ensures more plants are around to hold more carbon | 82 | |
5759807003 | carbon sequestration technology | pumping CO2 as a gas or liquid to capture it in the lithosphere. Can be stored in salt caverns or unminable coal beds. This method is very expensive and is not yet understood very well | 83 | |
5759808848 | PM pollution | particulates and pollutants that help increase cloud formation also reflect some light away from Earth. Increase these pollutants, less radiation will get to earths surface. | 84 | |
5759809974 | regulation of carbon emissions | put limits on their production. If you put regulations on greenhouse gases, industries will need to ensure they only emit a certain amount | 85 | |
5759809975 | carbon tax | people use less carbon to avoid paying higher taxes | 86 | |
5759813047 | tax incentives | rebates for technologies that do not release greenhouse gases. If you install non-emitting technology, you get money back on your taxes. | 87 | |
5759815068 | subsidies for no-emission technology | (free government money) increase these to non-emitting energy industries like solar/wind, and decrease subsidies to high emission industries | 88 | |
5759815069 | cap-and-trade | each company gets a certain amount of credits to make carbon. If they produce more than allotted, they pay high penalties. | 89 | |
5759817511 | clean air act | EPA develop a clean air standard for air pollutants that cause health problems. Measures emissions from people and industries to ensure people dont pollute over the established allowable standards. Monitors SO2, NOx, PM, lead, ozone, and CO. GREENHOUSE GASES DO NOT GET REGULATED. (1960s) | 90 | |
5759817512 | kyoto protocol | In 1997 where developed nations agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to a target percentage below 1990 levels by 2012. Developing countries did not have to set goals. US did not sign. | 91 | |
5759820631 | copenhagen climate summit | was an attempt in 2009 to develop a new Kyoto Protocol, since the actual Kyoto treaty would expire in 2012 | 92 | |
5759822622 | paris climate deal | lower greenhouse gas emissions to 2% above pre-industrial percentages. | 93 | |
5759827354 | biggest CO2 producers | china, usa, russia, india, japan | 94 | |
5759829125 | role of volcanoes in climate cooling | when volcanoes erupt, all the particle matter in the ash cover the sunlight and makes Earths surface cooler. | 95 | |
5759831964 | predictions of climate change impacts | - sea levels will continue to rise - Loss of species biodiversity - Changes in ocean current patterns - Changes in local climates - Potentially more extreme weather - Change in food production - Human health problems - release of greenhouse gases from thawing permafrost and ice | 96 | |
5759831965 | carbon cycle | - diffusion - sedimentation - decomposition - photosynthesis - cellular respiration - combustion | 97 | |
5759833728 | amount of CO2 from 1 gallon of gas | about 19-20 | 98 |
APES - AIR UNIT Flashcards
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