Deck 12: Air Pollution Climate Change,and Ozone Depletion

Question 1

What is air pollution ? Distinguish between primary pollutants and secondary pollutants , and give an example of each. Distinguish between industrial smog and photochemical smog , and describe how each is formed. List five natural factors that help to reduce outdoor air pollution and six natural factors that help to worsen it. What is a temperature inversion and how can it affect air pollution levels?

Answer 1

Any atmospheric chemicals that have high enough concentrations to create harm to humans, ecosystems or other organisms are called air pollutants. Some of these pollutants can even affect man-made materials or the climate. Chemicals, such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane or sulfur dioxide, which are released directly into the atmosphere by natural or man-made sources are called primary pollutants. Secondary pollutants occur when these chemicals combine with each other or with other elements in the atmosphere to create different harmful substances, such as ozone, sulfuric acid and nitric acid.
Industrial smog is created when factories, power plants and even homes burn large quantities of coal. The discharge from these sources added soot, sulfuric acid and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere which formed a greyish-colored, foul-smelling smog.
Photochemical smog is created when volatile organic compounds and nitric oxide is released into the atmosphere from car exhaust, businesses, and even certain species of trees. Heat and UV radiation cause these chemicals to react with each other, other primary pollutants and other elements in the atmosphere to create nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and other oxidants and secondary pollutants. Since nitrogen dioxide is reddish-brown in color, a brownish smog is created which irritates eyes and lungs.
Outdoor air pollutants are removed from the atmosphere by five natural factors:
• Some of the air pollutant particles are heavier than the air and gravity cause them to fall out onto the land or ocean.
• Precipitation can "wash" the atmosphere clean by pulling the pollutants along with the rain, sleet or snow.
• The sea spray can act like the precipitation and take the air pollutants out of the air that moves over the ocean.
• Winds can dilute the air pollution by taking it away and mixing it with cleaner air.
• Some of the secondary pollutants that are formed are heavier than the air and fall out of the air.
Conversely, there are factors which can make outdoor air pollution worse:
• Anything, such as buildings, which slows or stops the wind speed will decrease the removal and dilution of air pollutants.
• Mountains or hills cut down on the flow of air through valleys and lead to a buildup of pollutants in the valleys.
• Warmer temperatures are a factor in the creation of photochemical smog.
• Growing certain species of trees, such as oaks, poplars or sweet gums, adds volatile organic compounds to the atmosphere in urban areas and is another factor in the creation of photochemical smog.
• The Artic areas experience a reddish-brown smog mainly in the winter months due to an atmospheric occurrence. Air pollutants rise to higher altitudes in the tropical and temperate climates due to evaporation and winds. These air pollutants are then carried to the Artic areas where colder temperatures cause them to drop to the ground level.
• Certain topographical and weather conditions can create a temperature inversion which traps harmful air pollutants at ground level. A temperature inversion occurs when a layer of warmer air moves in over a layer of colder air lying near the ground. The warmer air traps the colder air in place and prevents the natural rising of air from ground level into the higher atmosphere where the pollutants can be dispersed and diluted. Temperature inversions are more prevalent in colder, mountainous areas and in coastal urban areas that are surrounded on three sides by mountains.

Question 2

List two questions that you would like to have answered as a result of reading this chapter.

Answer 2

The scientific community and people who are knowledgeable about scientific concepts tend to understand the effects of global warming. These people tend to understand that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases contribute to global warming. Other people who have less understanding of global warming may have misconceptions about global warming.
People in poorer countries may not have the opportunities to be educated about global warming. Global warming is a global issue. The effects of global warming affect people around the world. One question is how we could empower people around the world with knowledge and skills that would enable them to make decisions that help our planet and reduce the rate of global warming.
The pressure for economic growth is high. The price of economic growth may be the health of our planet and eventually the health of all living organisms on this planet. However, the immediate consequence of no economic growth may be as severe. People may starve and may not survive without monetary income. Another question is how we could balance between economic growth and improving the health of our planet and living organisms on that planet.
Other related questions are is there other system that ensures everyone is well fed rather than the monetary system; can we survive without money; can we survive if the rate of production decreases; and what other systems of wealth distribution we could apply to improve the well-being of humans and other living organisms.

Question 3

List three important ways in which your life would be different today if grassroots actions by U.S. citizens between 1970 and 1990 had not led to the Clean Air Acts of 1970, 1977, and 1990, despite massive political opposition by the affected industries. List three important ways in which your life in the future might be different if grassroots actions now do not lead to strengthening of the U.S. Clean Air Act or a similar act in the country where you live.

Answer 3

The Clean Air Acts is the result of the work of many citizens. These citizens care for the health of people around the world. They are concerned that too much emission of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases would harm people health. They realize that the combustion of nonrenewable energy from the industries is posing high health risks to many people.
The Clean Air Acts help people avoid many of the risks they could not control themselves. The Clean Air Acts limit the amount of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases emissions from the industries. Consequently, people get to breathe cleaner air. In addition, global warming is not accelerated at the same rate before the Clean Air Acts. Hence, many other living organisms benefit from a cleaner air.
Many citizens want the U.S. to strengthen the Clean Air Acts. The Clean Air Acts requires pollution prevention even more. In addition, the act requires the industries to reduce the emissions from burning coals and other nonrenewable energy sources. The Clean Air Acts support the development of energy efficiency vehicles. Energy efficient vehicles would consume less gas and emit less carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases.
The Clean Air Acts put greater restrictions on vehicles or airplanes that emit too much carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases. The level of emissions would likely reduce with the restrictions. We would save more energy. In addition, we would save more money because our cars are energy efficient. Furthermore, we would not have as many risks to be concerned about with the existence of the Clean Air Acts.
However, there are still many risks we need to be concerned about. Briefly, the Clean Air Acts help us to have a cleaner environment and cleaner atmosphere to breathe. Our air and our environments are not free from harmful chemicals and many other hazards.

Question 4

How have we depleted ozone in the stratosphere and what can we do about it?

Question 5

What is acid deposition and why is it a problem?

Question 6

Briefly describe the projected effect of climate change on drought, ice cover, sea levels, permafrost, extreme weather, biodiversity, crop yields, and human health during this century. List six possible climate tipping points. What are three major strategies for slowing projected climate disruption? What are four strategies for dealing with Co, after it has been produced? Discuss the work of scientists exploiting carbon capture and storage (CCS) strategies and the benefits and drawbacks of CCS.

Question 7

What is acid deposition and how does it form? Explain why it is a regional problem and briefly describe its major environmental impacts on ecosystems and human health. List the major ways to reduce acid deposition.

Question 8

List five things that governments could do to help slow projected climate change. What are the pros and cons of the Kyoto Protocol? Give two examples of what some governments and major corporations have done to reduce their carbon footprint. List five ways in which we can prepare for the projected long-term harmful effects of climate disruption.

Question 9

A top U.S. presidential economic adviser once gave a speech in Williamsburg, Virginia (USA), to representatives of governments from a number of countries. He told his audience not to worry about projected climate change because the average global temperature increases predicted by scientists were much less than the temperature increase he had experienced that day in traveling from Washington, DC, to Williamsburg. What was the flaw in his reasoning? Write an argument that you could use to counter his claim.

Question 10

Describe how human activities have depleted ozone in the stratosphere and list live harmful effects of such depletion. Describe how scientists Sherwood Roland and Mario Molina helped awaken the world to this threat. Explain how ozone levels over the earth's poles drop during a few months each year and the harmful effects of such thinning on humans. Describe the relationships between higher UV levels and skin cancer. What has the world done to reduce the threat from ozone depletion in the stratosphere? How can we apply the three principles of sustainability to the problems of air pollution, climate change, and ozone depletion?

Question 11

What are the major indoor air pollution problems?

Question 12

Why is indoor air pollution alarming, according to the EPA, and what are the top three indoor air pollutants in the United States? What is the major indoor air pollutant in many of the less-developed countries? Describe indoor air pollution by radon-222 and what can be done about it.

Question 13

What changes might occur in (a) the global hydrologic cycle (Figure 2-20, p. 40) and (b) the global carbon cycle (Figure 2-21, p. 41) if the atmosphere continues to experience significant warming? Explain.

Question 14

How should we deal with air pollution?

Question 15

Briefly describe the human body's defenses against air pollution, how they can be overwhelmed, and illnesses that can result. How many people die prematurely from air pollution each year?

Question 16

One way to help slow the rate of CO 2 emissions is to reduce the clearing of forests-especially in tropical less-developed countries where intense deforestation is taking place. Should the United States and other more-developed countries pay poorer countries to stop cutting their forests? Explain.

Question 17

China relies on coal for two-thirds of its commercial energy usage, partly because the country has abundant supplies of this resource. Yet China's coal burning has caused innumerable and growing problems for China and neighboring countries. Do you think China is justified in developing this resource to the maximum, as other countries, including the United States, have done with their resources? Explain. What are its alternatives?

Question 18

In the future, how might the earth's temperature and climate change, and with what effects?
CONCEPT 12-6A Evidence indicates that the earth's atmosphere is warming because of a combination of natural effects and human activities, and that this warming is likely to lead to significant climate change during this century.
CONCEPT 12-6B The projected rapid change in the atmosphere's temperature could have severe and long-lasting consequences, including increased drought and flooding, rising sea levels, and shifts in the locations of croplands and wildlife habitats.

Question 19

What is the nature of the atmosphere?

Question 20

Describe air pollution laws in the United States. Summarize the story of lead pollution. Summarize the accomplishments of U.S. laws and discuss how we can improve them. List the advantages and disadvantages of using an emissions trading program. Summarize the major ways to reduce emissions from power plants and motor vehicles, and the ways to reduce indoor air pollution.

Question 21

Review the Key Questions and Concepts for this chapter on p. 246. Define and distinguish among atmosphere , troposphere , stratosphere , and ozone layer. Explain how the troposphere and stratosphere differ. Distinguish between weather and climate. List three major factors that determine how heat and moisture are distributed in the atmosphere. Define ocean currents and describe how they affect climate. Define greenhouse gases , describe the greenhouse effect, and explain why the latter is important to life on earth.

Question 22

Congratulations! You are in charge of the world. List your three most important actions for dealing with the problems of (a) outdoor air pollution, (b) indoor air pollution, (c) projected climate disruption, and (d) depletion of ozone in the stratosphere.

Question 23

Photochemical smog is largely the result of motor vehicle emissions. Considering your use of motor vehicles, now and in the future, what are three ways in which you could reduce your contribution to photochemical smog?

Question 24

What can we do to slow projected climate change?

Question 25

What are the major outdoor air pollution problems?

Question 26

Describe atmospheric warming and cooling over the past 900,000 years and during the last century. Discuss the conclusions of the IPCC and the general agreement among most climate scientists about atmosphere warming. List four examples of evidence that support this consensus. Summarize James Hanses's contribution to the public discussion about climate change. Describe the role of the oceans in helping to regulate the average atmosphere temperature. Describe how each of the following might affect atmosphere warming; (a) cloud cover and (b) air pollution.