Deck 13: Atmospheric Science, Air Quality, and Pollution Control

Question 1

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following:
The highest level of our atmosphere, with comparatively few molecules per unit area

A)tornado
B)thermosphere
C)thermal inversion
D)Hadley cells
E)hurricane
F)thermocline
G)stratosphere
H)troposphere

Answer 1

thermosphere

Question 2

Natural sources of air pollution come from _________________.

A) birds
B) evaporation of solvents
C) internal combustion engines
D) soil dust, wildfires, and volcanic dust
E) coal-fired electrical plants

Answer 2

soil dust, wildfires, and volcanic dust

Question 3

Near the equator, the patterns of convection currents are called _________________.

A) El Niño events
B) high-pressure cells
C) Coriolis cells
D) the troposphere
E) Hadley cells

Answer 3

Hadley cells

Question 4

Use the figure above to answer the following question
The figure shows that ___________.

A) temperature decreases uniformly throughout the atmosphere
B) the mesosphere and troposphere are at the same altitude
C) ozone concentration reaches its highest level in the thermosphere
D) temperature increases uniformly throughout the atmosphere
E) peak ozone levels in the stratosphere correlates with rising temperature

Question 5

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following:
The bottom layer of Earthʹs atmosphere, in which we live

A)tornado
B)thermosphere
C)thermal inversion
D)Hadley cells
E)hurricane
F)thermocline
G)stratosphere
H)troposphere

Question 6

Use the figure above to answer the following question
At least for the stratosphere,______________ .

A) ozone appears to be evenly distributed at all altitudes
B) increases of temperature and ozone levels are strongly correlated
C) temperature continues to decrease with altitude as in the troposphere
D) the average temperature is much lower than for the troposphere
E) temperature and ozone concentration are inversely correlated

Question 7

Use the figure above to answer the following question
In the troposphere ____________________.

A) temperature decreases nearly linearly with altitude
B) ozone levels decrease with altitude
C) temperatures never dip below freezing
D) ozone levels increase with altitude
E) warmest temperatures reflect an absence of ozone

Question 8

Typical patterns of atmospheric conditions in a specific location over years, decades, and longer time periods are described by _________________.

A) climate
B) weather
C) sunspots
D) alignment of planets
E) the moon

Question 9

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following:
Convective cells near the equator

A)tornado
B)thermosphere
C)thermal inversion
D)Hadley cells
E)hurricane
F)thermocline
G)stratosphere
H)troposphere

Question 10

Weather patterns are largely determined in the _________________ .

A) mesosphere
B) lithosphere
C) troposphere
D) stratosphere
E) biosphere

Question 11

Ozone in the _________________ is important for absorbing and scattering much of the UV radiation coming into Earthʹs atmosphere from the sun.

A) troposphere
B) thermosphere
C) stratosphere
D) mesosphere
E) clouds

Question 12

The huge dust storms that took place in the U.S. Midwest in the 1930s _________________.

A) were triggered by tornados, worsened by global climate change
B) were the result of glacier melt
C) were the result of ozone depletion
D) were the result of polar cells
E) were the result of poor farming and grazing techniques

Question 13

Carbon monoxide _________________ .

A) causes ozone depletion
B) is a major component of the atmosphere
C) is produced by plants during photosynthesis
D) is consumed by plants for photosynthesis
E) blocks oxygen transport in human blood

Question 14

If all of the stratospheric ozone suddenly disappeared,_________________ .

A) insects would be the only organisms to survive
B) Earthʹs surface would warm considerably
C) there would be a dramatic decrease in skin cancers
D) most life on Earth would cease to exist because of the amount of UV radiation penetrating the atmosphere
E) plants would flourish

Question 15

Occasionally, a layer of cool air forms under a layer of warmer air in the troposphere, which is different from the normal conditions. This change from the normal temperature profile in the troposphere is called a _________________.

A) temperature or thermal subversion
B) thunderstorm
C) tornado
D) temperature or thermal inversion
E) cold front

Question 16

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following:
Convective cyclonic storm arising when masses of cold and hot air collide

A)tornado
B)thermosphere
C)thermal inversion
D)Hadley cells
E)hurricane
F)thermocline
G)stratosphere
H)troposphere

Question 17

Tropospheric ozone _________________.

A) is caused by poor farming techniques
B) protects Earth from most of the harmful UV radiation
C) binds with hemoglobin, preventing binding with oxygen in red blood cells
D) is a primary pollutant
E) is produced through the interaction of heat and UV light, with nitrogen oxides and carbon-containing compounds

Question 18

The largest portion of atmospheric gases is _________________.

A) argon
B) ozone
C) sulfur
D) oxygen
E) nitrogen

Question 19

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following:
Reversal of normal vertical temperature distribution in the lower layers of the atmosphere

A)tornado
B)thermosphere
C)thermal inversion
D)Hadley cells
E)hurricane
F)thermocline
G)stratosphere
H)troposphere

Question 20

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following:
Layer of the atmosphere containing the protective ozone layer

A)tornado
B)thermosphere
C)thermal inversion
D)Hadley cells
E)hurricane
F)thermocline
G)stratosphere
H)troposphere

Question 21

Of the following _________________, is not yet regulated by the EPA.

A) ozone
B) sulfur and nitrogen oxides
C) carbon monoxide
D) carbon dioxide
E) lead

Question 22

Today, _________________ has the worst acid deposition problem, primarily because of .

A) the United States; soil dust aerosols
B) Tehran; burning fuel wood
C) European Union nations; tropospheric ozone
D) China; coal-fired electrical and industrial plants
E) Sweden; methane emissions from cattle and natural gas heating

Question 23

Bacteria and fungal spores can be included as _________________

A) VOCs and POPs
B) the cause of high pesticide use in the home
C) problems in degrading the ozone layer
D) sources of radon in the home
E) components of ʺsick-building syndromeʺ

Question 24

In developed countries, the two most deadly sources of indoor pollution are _________________

A) synthetic furniture materials and radiation from electronic equipment
B) radon and cigarette smoke
C) pesticides and cleaning agents
D) radiation from electronic equipment and pesticides
E) pesticides and cigarette smoke

Question 25

The Coriolis effect _________________

A) is caused by the moon
B) is caused by Earthʹs rotational forces
C) keeps the wind circulating at constant speed around the planet
D) keeps Earth from spinning too fast
E) results in ice and dark at the poles in winter

Question 26

Which of the following is a consequence of acidic deposition?

A) It leaches out important minerals from soils and causes a loss of biodiversity.
B) It increases the likelihood of low-lying ground fogs.
C) It results in offshore eutrophication, damaging coral reefs.
D) It creates rainwater that can damage skin cells or cause cancers.
E) It is increasing the rate of global warming.

Question 27

You have been hired by a rapidly growing small city to improve the air quality, which has deteriorated in the past 10 years. Your first suggestion is to _________________

A) improve transportation options, including carpool lanes, buses, and light rail
B) move or close the cattle feed lots near the river
C) remove the hydroelectric dam on the river
D) investigate the large city downwind whose factories produce large amounts of pollution
E) decrease the amount of CFCs used locally

Question 28

A great deal of indoor air pollution comes from _________________

A) outdoor pollution
B) cooking with natural gas stoves
C) washing dishes
D) carbon monoxide
E) carpets, furniture, and laser printers

Question 29

The Coriolis effect contributes to _________________

A) a reduction in eutrophication
B) global wind patterns
C) increased acidic deposition
D) global warming
E) an increase in eutrophication

Question 30

One of the problems that occur as a consequence of CFC pollution is _________________

A) movement of toxins into lakes and rivers, which poisons fish
B) respiratory irritation and lung cancer
C) eutrophication
D) damage to human red blood cells
E) increasing skin cancer in humans

Question 31

Air near Earthʹs surface tends to be _________________

A) cooler and wetter; then it rises, is warmed by the sun, and sinks again
B) warmer and drier; then it rises, condensing and gathering moisture
C) warmer and wetter; then it rises, expanding and cooling
D) warmer; it rises as it is displaced by Coriolis forces
E) cooler and drier; it rises when it is displaced by sinking warm air

Question 32

Air pollution in Tehran _________________

A) comes primarily from burning fuel wood
B) is caused mainly by very high levels of CFCs and acid deposition
C) is caused primarily by vehicles unequipped with pollution control technology
D) is far less serious than in Los Angeles
E) has been reduced by 90% thanks to strict air pollution laws

Question 33

The Montreal Protocol _________________

A) developed the international treaty for eliminating radon emissions from nuclear power plants
B) resulted in significant reduction in the production of CFCs by signatory nations
C) addressed transnational movement of acid-forming pollutants
D) developed the framework for reduction of carbon dioxide in the United States and Canada
E) is an example of a failed attempt to reduce international air pollution

Question 34

Lead enters the atmosphere as a particulate pollutant. This is a problem because it _________________.

A) provides excess nutrients to waterways, resulting in eutrophication
B) causes central nervous system damage in humans
C) is a precious metal, and it is being lost to the atmosphere
D) can become attached to radon
E) will cause the ozone hole to increase

Question 35

Radon _________________.

A) in the atmosphere limits the availability of sunlight for plants
B) contributes to the breakdown of the ozone layer
C) is formed by the breakdown of the ozone layer
D) may cause lung cancer when inhaled
E) binds with hemoglobin, preventing binding with oxygen

Question 36

The reason that temperature increases with altitude through most of the stratosphere is _________________

A) heat is released by absorption of UV radiation by oxygen and ozone
B) sunlight is more intense in the stratosphere
C) jet stream winds produce frictional heat
D) greenhouse gases warm the air
E) water vapor levels are high and store heat

Question 37

The most obvious cause of industrial smog is _________________

A) generation of nuclear power
B) burning trash
C) indoor air pollution
D) burning fossil fuels
E) fires for heating food

Question 38

The primary causes of acid deposition are _________________

A) sulfur and nitrogen oxides
B) soil dust and sand
C) carbon monoxide and formaldehyde
D) radon gas and fuel wood smoke
E) tropospheric ozone

Question 39

When coal or oil are burned, some part of it is completely combusted, forming CO2; another part is partially combusted, forming CO (carbon monoxide); and some remains unburned and is released as soot. Along with sulfur dioxide, these are the main components of _________________.

A) ozone
B) particulates
C) industrial smog
D) photochemical smog
E) CFCs

Question 40

Photochemical smog differs from industrial smog in that it _________________

A) has large quantities of soot
B) is formed only in the presence of sunlight
C) is primarily composed of carbon monoxide
D) is an unhealthy mixture of pollutants
E) consists of primary pollutants

Question 41

Water soluble sulfur and nitrogen oxides produced by burning fossil fuels can be removed from an industrial source by _________________.

A) catalytic converters
B) planting large groves of trees nearby
C) removing the sulfur and nitrogen before combustion of fuels
D) filtration
E) wet scrubbers

Question 42

Read the following scenario and answer the question below.
Thousands of young families moved ʺover the hillsʺ and into the San Fernando Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles, after World War II. New neighborhoods were springing up, replacing orange groves and open space; roads and schools quickly sprang into existence, trying to keep pace with the rapid population growth. Ringed by beautiful mountains, the entire Los Angeles basin looked like a new, green, sun-filled paradise to the families seeking a fresh start. In the early 1950s, one of the common family chores in Los Angeles was to carry the trash out to the stone incinerator behind the garage where each family burned all of their dry trash. ʺWetʺ garbage was collected and taken to a city dump, where it was burned by the city. Everyone throughout the city either used an incinerator or burned things in an open trash pile; there were over 400,000 backyard trash incinerators. On warm afternoons, eyes would sometimes sting and burn. People would stop, close their eyes, and let the cleansing tears refresh irritated eyes. They accepted this as a normal part of life in sunny California.
In 1958 trash collection programs were established, and backyard incinerators were banned in the hope of reducing smog. However, it was estimated that massive amounts of gasoline were evaporating from storage tanks, fuel pump nozzles, and delivery trucks. This was also considered a serious contributor to smog, and over the next 20 years several new rules, and several new devices, were put in place to alleviate it. There was still a great deal of smog, now identified as photochemical smog, despite the changes. The major remaining problem was _________________

A) too many coal-fired power plants along the coast
B) insufficient city funding to improve waste dumps
C) the large distances traveled daily by solitary commuters
D) indoor pollution from new houses, with new furniture
E) the influx of new manufacturing, with new chemicals

Question 43

Read the following scenario and answer the question below.
Thousands of young families moved ʺover the hillsʺ and into the San Fernando Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles, after World War II. New neighborhoods were springing up, replacing orange groves and open space; roads and schools quickly sprang into existence, trying to keep pace with the rapid population growth. Ringed by beautiful mountains, the entire Los Angeles basin looked like a new, green, sun-filled paradise to the families seeking a fresh start. In the early 1950s, one of the common family chores in Los Angeles was to carry the trash out to the stone incinerator behind the garage where each family burned all of their dry trash. ʺWetʺ garbage was collected and taken to a city dump, where it was burned by the city. Everyone throughout the city either used an incinerator or burned things in an open trash pile; there were over 400,000 backyard trash incinerators. On warm afternoons, eyes would sometimes sting and burn. People would stop, close their eyes, and let the cleansing tears refresh irritated eyes. They accepted this as a normal part of life in sunny California.
One key to the puzzle of Los Angelesʹs smog is the fact that _________________

A) Los Angeles and its suburbs are all ringed by mountains
B) the Hadley cell for that area drops cool air, and pollution, right over Los Angeles
C) the offshore breezes carry inland pollution to coastal Los Angeles
D) incoming tides in the harbor push air pollution ahead of them
E) there are so many rainy days, increasing the acidic deposition

Question 44

Using the examples of Tehran and Los Angeles, discuss the special problems that vehicles create for urban outdoor air pollution.

Question 45

Discuss the objective, and the success, of the 1987 Montreal Protocol. To what factors do scientists attribute its success?

Question 46

Read the following scenario and answer the question below.
Thousands of young families moved ʺover the hillsʺ and into the San Fernando Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles, after World War II. New neighborhoods were springing up, replacing orange groves and open space; roads and schools quickly sprang into existence, trying to keep pace with the rapid population growth. Ringed by beautiful mountains, the entire Los Angeles basin looked like a new, green, sun-filled paradise to the families seeking a fresh start. In the early 1950s, one of the common family chores in Los Angeles was to carry the trash out to the stone incinerator behind the garage where each family burned all of their dry trash. ʺWetʺ garbage was collected and taken to a city dump, where it was burned by the city. Everyone throughout the city either used an incinerator or burned things in an open trash pile; there were over 400,000 backyard trash incinerators. On warm afternoons, eyes would sometimes sting and burn. People would stop, close their eyes, and let the cleansing tears refresh irritated eyes. They accepted this as a normal part of life in sunny California.
Part of the reason that peopleʹs eyes would sting was _________________

A) the plastics and chemicals in the burning trash
B) the lead emissions from the burning trash
C) the excess water vapor from the burning trash
D) the smoke and particulates from the burning trash
E) the carbon monoxide from the burning trash

Question 47

The Acid Rain Program established under the Clean Air Act of 1990 has been successful in reducing emissions of sulfur dioxide and _________________.

A) lead
B) carbon monoxide
C) carbon dioxide
D) nitrogen oxides
E) CFCs

Question 48

Why is indoor pollution still such a large problem? What are the most dangerous indoor pollutants in developing and developed nations?

Question 49

Read the following scenario and answer the question below.
Thousands of young families moved ʺover the hillsʺ and into the San Fernando Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles, after World War II. New neighborhoods were springing up, replacing orange groves and open space; roads and schools quickly sprang into existence, trying to keep pace with the rapid population growth. Ringed by beautiful mountains, the entire Los Angeles basin looked like a new, green, sun-filled paradise to the families seeking a fresh start. In the early 1950s, one of the common family chores in Los Angeles was to carry the trash out to the stone incinerator behind the garage where each family burned all of their dry trash. ʺWetʺ garbage was collected and taken to a city dump, where it was burned by the city. Everyone throughout the city either used an incinerator or burned things in an open trash pile; there were over 400,000 backyard trash incinerators. On warm afternoons, eyes would sometimes sting and burn. People would stop, close their eyes, and let the cleansing tears refresh irritated eyes. They accepted this as a normal part of life in sunny California.
The Los Angeles smog problem is made much worse by _________________

A) the convection cells, which bring pollutants from other cities
B) the foggy climate, which leads to acidic deposition
C) the onshore breezes, which prevent pollution from dispersing
D) nearby mountains and the warm sunshine, which cause inversion layers
E) the high cloud levels, which deplete the local ozone layer

Question 50

Read the following scenario and answer the question below.
Thousands of young families moved ʺover the hillsʺ and into the San Fernando Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles, after World War II. New neighborhoods were springing up, replacing orange groves and open space; roads and schools quickly sprang into existence, trying to keep pace with the rapid population growth. Ringed by beautiful mountains, the entire Los Angeles basin looked like a new, green, sun-filled paradise to the families seeking a fresh start. In the early 1950s, one of the common family chores in Los Angeles was to carry the trash out to the stone incinerator behind the garage where each family burned all of their dry trash. ʺWetʺ garbage was collected and taken to a city dump, where it was burned by the city. Everyone throughout the city either used an incinerator or burned things in an open trash pile; there were over 400,000 backyard trash incinerators. On warm afternoons, eyes would sometimes sting and burn. People would stop, close their eyes, and let the cleansing tears refresh irritated eyes. They accepted this as a normal part of life in sunny California.
In the 1950s, Los Angeles became famous for its smog. One part of the problem was _________________

A) dust from inland farms
B) pollution from the dams on the Colorado River
C) the increase in the number of automobiles
D) heavy industry along the coastline
E) natural gas leaks from wells

Question 51

Define atmospheric deposition in general and explain the causes and effects of acidic deposition.

Question 52

Read the following scenario and answer the question below.
Thousands of young families moved ʺover the hillsʺ and into the San Fernando Valley, a suburb of Los Angeles, after World War II. New neighborhoods were springing up, replacing orange groves and open space; roads and schools quickly sprang into existence, trying to keep pace with the rapid population growth. Ringed by beautiful mountains, the entire Los Angeles basin looked like a new, green, sun-filled paradise to the families seeking a fresh start. In the early 1950s, one of the common family chores in Los Angeles was to carry the trash out to the stone incinerator behind the garage where each family burned all of their dry trash. ʺWetʺ garbage was collected and taken to a city dump, where it was burned by the city. Everyone throughout the city either used an incinerator or burned things in an open trash pile; there were over 400,000 backyard trash incinerators. On warm afternoons, eyes would sometimes sting and burn. People would stop, close their eyes, and let the cleansing tears refresh irritated eyes. They accepted this as a normal part of life in sunny California.
In the mid-1950s, a researcher in Los Angeles was able to create smog by setting up a large, clear chamber and using it to expose auto exhaust to sunlight. He was demonstrating _________________

A) photochemical reactions
B) point source pollution
C) non-point source pollution
D) the cause of acidic deposition
E) the cause of ozone depletion

Question 53

How do hurricanes and tornadoes form?