Deck 19: Air Pollution

Question 1

Pollutants associated with plastics are gaseous resins.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Particulate pollution with diameters less than 2.5 micrometers are particularly dangerous because they ____.

A)can penetrate deep into the lungs
B)dissolve easily in water
C)are chemically neutralized by carbon dioxide
D)dissolve easily in water and they are chemically neutralized by dissolved carbon dioxide
E)can cause eye irritation

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Sulfur-rich aerosols have the net effect of warming Earth's surface.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The original Clean Air Act in the United States was enacted in ____.

A)1946
B)1955
C)1970
D)1977
E)1990

Question 5

The primary source for all pollutants is fuel combustion from stationary (fixed)sources.

Question 6

Smoke emitted into a stable atmosphere tends to spread horizontally, rather than mix vertically.

Question 7

The greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO₂)is not covered by the Clean Air Act.

Question 8

When smog is composed of sulfurous smoke and foggy air, it is usually called Los Angeles-type smog.

Question 9

Air pollutants can come from both natural sources and human activities.

Question 10

Pollutants from dust storms include ____.

A)gases such as sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide
B)suspended particulate matter
C)hydrocarbons
D)metal oxides
E)CFCs

Question 11

Tropospheric ozone is a secondary pollutant forming from a series of chemical reactions involving other pollutants.

Question 12

Carbon monoxide is the most abundant primary air pollutant in the United States.

Question 13

Certain pollutants that enter the atmosphere directly, such as from smokestacks and tail pipes, are called ____.

A)criteria pollutants
B)noxious pollutants
C)primary air pollutants
D)secondary air pollutants
E)reactive pollutants

Question 14

In cities, where less vegetation and exposed soil exists, the majority of the Sun's energy is absorbed by urban structures and asphalt, creating an urban heat island.

Question 15

Pollutants that enter the atmosphere directly, for example from smokestacks and tail pipes, are called secondary air pollutants.

Question 16

Although thousands of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)are known to exist, methane is the most abundant.

Question 17

The discovery of the ozone hole added urgency to the development of an international agreement called the Kyoto Protocol, which was signed in 1987.

Question 18

Concentrations of tropospheric ozone are normally higher at night and during the winter months.

Question 19

Sulfur dioxide (SO₂)can enter the atmosphere naturally during volcanic eruptions and from ocean spray.

Question 20

The smoke in London smog came primarily from ____.

A)exhaust from diesel engines
B)trash fires
C)factories in Eastern Europe
D)coal combustion
E)exhaust from automobiles

Question 21

The main component of photochemical smog is ____.

A)ozone
B)carbon monoxide
C)sulfur dioxide
D)chlorofluorocarbons
E)volatile organic compounds

Question 22

Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂)reacts with ____ in the atmosphere to form nitric acid (HNO₃).

A)hydrogen
B)water vapor
C)ozone
D)carbon dioxide
E)sulfur dioxide

Question 23

The origin of the gases called oxides of nitrogen in the atmosphere begins ____.

A)in the stratosphere
B)in the troposphere
C)in the mesosphere
D)with precipitation
E)with ice

Question 24

Suspended particles from sources in Europe and the former Soviet Union are believed responsible for the brownish cloud layer called ____ that forms over the Arctic each spring.

A)the ozone hole
B)Asian dust
C)Arctic haze
D)acid rain
E)acid fog

Question 25

The most plentiful primary pollutant is ____.

A)benzene
B)sulfur dioxide
C)carbon monoxide
D)carbon dioxide
E)methane

Question 26

Since the Clean Air Act of 1970, emissions of most pollutants have fallen off substantially, with _____ showing the greatest reduction.

A)sulfur dioxide
B)methane
C)lead
D)carbon dioxide
E)carbon monoxide

Question 27

Once released into the atmosphere, chlorofluorocarbons remain about ____.

A)10 to 20 days
B)50 to 100 years
C)1 to 2 years
D)1 to 2 months
E)200 to 300 years

Question 28

Photochemical smog is also termed ____.

A)London-type smog
B)subsidence smog
C)mixing layer smog
D)sea breeze smog
E)Los Angeles-type smog

Question 29

The ozone hole is found in the ____.

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

Question 30

When the pollutant's value is the same as the primary ambient air quality standard, the pollutant is assigned an AQI number of ____.

A)25
B)50
C)75
D)100
E)250

Question 31

Ozone, PAN, and small amounts of other oxidating pollutants are the ingredients of photochemical smog and grouped under a single heading called ____.

A)NO_x compounds
B)volatile organic compounds
C)hydrocarbons
D)radicals
E)photochemical oxidants

Question 32

The so-called "ozone hole" is observed above the ____.

A)continent of North America
B)equator
C)continent of Australia
D)continent of Antarctica
E)continent of Asia

Question 33

What gas is produced naturally in the stratosphere and is also a primary component of photochemical smog in polluted air at the surface?

A)Carbon dioxide
B)Carbon monoxide
C)Ozone
D)Nitrogen dioxide
E)Hydrocarbons

Question 34

The formation of ____ begins when ultraviolet radiation (at wavelengths of about 0.31 micrometers and below)dissociates some of the ozone into molecular oxygen and atomic oxygen.

A)water vapor
B)the hydroxyl radical (OH)
C)sulfur dioxide
D)acid rain
E)dry deposition

Question 35

Which of the following is not a pollutant associated with personal automobiles?

A)Carbon dioxide
B)Nitrogen oxides
C)Sulfurous gases
D)Hydrocarbons
E)Particulate matter

Question 36

An air quality index value of 35 on a particular day indicates ____ conditions.

A)good
B)unhealthy
C)extremely hazardous
D)moderately hazardous
E)potentially hazardous

Question 37

The most abundant volatile organic compound is ____.

A)sulfuric acid
B)chlorofluorocarbon
C)formaldehyde
D)methane
E)benzene

Question 38

Volcanic eruptions are an important natural source of ____.

A)benzene
B)ozone
C)sulfur dioxide
D)carbon monoxide
E)chlorofluorocarbons

Question 39

When water vapor condenses onto suspended air particles and they reach a diameter between 0.1 and 1.0 micrometers, these ____ particles effectively scatter incoming sunlight to give the sky a milky white appearance.

A)wet haze
B)Arctic haze
C)wet deposition
D)dry deposition
E)acid fog

Question 40

When chlorofluorocarbons are subjected to ultraviolet radiation, ____ is released, which rapidly destroys ozone.

A)chlorine
B)nitrogen
C)carbon dioxide
D)carbon
E)water vapor

Question 41

The carbon dioxide occurring naturally in the air dissolves in precipitation, making it slightly acidic with a pH between ____.

A)3.0 and 3.6
B)4.0 and 4.6
C)5.0 and 5.6
D)6.0 and 6.6
E)7.0 and 7.6

Question 42

On clear, cold winter nights, cities tend to ____ than rural areas and have ____ temperatures.

A)cool more slowly; higher
B)cool more quickly; higher
C)cool more slowly; lower
D)warm more quickly; lower
E)warm more slowly; higher

Question 43

Pollution is most severe when a ____.

A)cold upper-level low moves into a region
B)warm front passes through the area
C)large slow-moving anticyclone moves into an area
D)storm system begins developing to the west
E)cold front passes through the area

Question 44

A country breeze would probably be associated with a(n)____.

A)large high-pressure area that forms over a city
B)hot and humid summer day in a large city
C)period of heavy rain that falls over a city
D)strong urban heat island
E)agricultural field located far from a city

Question 45

In cities, where less vegetation and exposed soil exists, the majority of the Sun's energy is absorbed by ____.

A)cloud cover
B)city parks
C)the greater number of people
D)buildings
E)urban structures and asphalt

Question 46

In the northeastern United States, emissions of ____ are primarily responsible for acid precipitation.

A)benzene
B)sulfur dioxide
C)carbon monoxide
D)volatile organic compounds
E)CFCs

Question 47

The mixing layer is a ____.

A)very stable layer that extends from the surface up to the base of an inversion
B)relatively unstable layer that extends from the surface up to the base of an inversion
C)very stable layer found upward from an inversion
D)very unstable layer that extends upward from an inversion
E)relatively stable layer that extends from the surface to the base of an inversion

Question 48

Sometimes a light breeze which may be called a ____, blows from the countryside into the city.

A)subsidence inversion
B)city breeze
C)cool front
D)surface inversion
E)country breeze

Question 49

A study conducted in St. Louis, Missouri, showed that precipitation amounts downwind from the city were ____ than ____.

A)less on Mondays; on Fridays
B)greater on weekdays; on weekends
C)greater on weekdays; on weekends
D)greater in spring; in fall
E)less in spring; fall

Question 50

A country breeze blows ____.

A)from the city toward the country at night
B)from the city toward the country during the day
C)from the country toward the city at night
D)from the country toward the city during the day
E)throughout the countryside at any time of day or night

Question 51

____ ecosystems seem to be particularly sensitive to changes in acidity.

A)Freshwater
B)Marine
C)Forest
D)Grassland
E)Alpine

Question 52

The urban heat island is ____.

A)warmer air temperatures in urban areas compared to surrounding rural areas
B)a concentration of energy use in an urban area
C)locating factories in a single location downwind from cities
D)use of conservation techniques to reduce energy use in cities
E)only created in cities where topography is a contributing factor

Question 53

Which condition would act to prevent a buildup of pollutants near the surface?

A)Light surface winds
B)A strong subsidence inversion
C)A large, slow-moving anticyclone
D)A deep mixing layer and strong ventilation
E)A shallow mixing layer

Question 54

Air pollution emitted from industrial areas, especially products of combustion, such as oxides of sulfur and nitrogen, can be carried many kilometers downwind. Sometimes these particles and gases slowly settle to the ground in the dry form of ____.

A)acid fog
B)acid rain
C)acid precipitation
D)dry deposition
E)wet deposition

Question 55

Which of the following would probably result in polluted conditions over a fairly long duration?

A)A radiation inversion
B)A subsidence inversion
C)A surface inversion
D)Overcast skies
E)Persistent winds

Question 56

Studies suggest that downwind of a large industrial area ____.

A)average annual precipitation can increase
B)higher surface temperatures are observed
C)pollutants are more concentrated than in the city
D)average annual precipitation can decrease
E)aerosols resulting from pollution inhibit heat transfer

Question 57

To help reduce emissions that lead to acid precipitation, the United States implemented ____ by which companies that reduced their emissions could sell allowances to other companies that had yet to do so.

A)the Montreal Protocol
B)the Kyoto Protocol
C)the AQI
D)a "cap and trade" system
E)carbon offset program

Question 58

Atmospheric stagnation is a condition normally brought on by ____.

A)gusty winds behind a cold front
B)light winds and poor vertical mixing
C)overcast skies
D)tall buildings in a city
E)movement of an upper level trough overhead

Question 59

Radiation inversions are not generally important for air pollution layers because they ____.

A)form at night
B)only last a few hours
C)form in heavy wind
D)are disturbed by precipitation
E)cannot exist during the day

Question 60

Which of the following is not a factor affecting air pollution?

A)Wind
B)Stability and inversions
C)Topography
D)Air pressure
E)Many sources of air pollution clustered close together

Question 61

Strong winds tend to ____________________ the concentration of pollutants by spreading them apart as they move downstream.

Question 62

Because of increased industrialization, by the 1850s London had become notorious for its "pea soup" fog, a thick mixture of ____________________.

Question 63

Which of the following is not a source of indoor air pollution?

A)Pressed wood products
B)Furnishings
C)CFC use in refrigerants
D)Home cleaning products
E)Heating sources such as wood stoves or fireplaces

Question 64

The main component of photochemical smog is the gas____________________.

Question 65

Ozone (O₃)forms naturally in the ____________________ when atomic oxygen (O)combines with molecular oxygen (O₂)in the presence of another molecule.

Question 66

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)represent a class of organic compounds that are mainly____________________, containing only hydrogen and carbon.

Question 67

In sunny cities such as Los Angeles, the ever-rising automobile population and the large petroleum processing plants generate ____________________smog, which irritates the eyes.

Question 68

The term ___________________ matter represents a group of solid particles and liquid droplets that are small enough to remain suspended in the air.

Question 69

A looping shape exhibited by a smokestack plume is indicative of ____ conditions.

A)inversion
B)stable
C)neutral
D)unstable
E)both inversion and stable

Question 70

Polar stratospheric clouds are thought to contribute to the problem of ____.

A)global warming
B)ozone destruction
C)acid rain
D)photochemical smog
E)radio wave interference

Question 71

The stability of the atmosphere is determined by the way the air temperature changes with height, which is called the____________________.

Question 72

Which of the following is not an ingredient for a major buildup of atmospheric pollution?

A)A deep high-pressure area that becomes stationary over a region
B)Light surface winds
C)A valley
D)Clear skies
E)A weak subsidence inversion

Question 73

Mobile sources of human-induced pollution include motor vehicles and aircraft; __________ sources include industrial complexes, power plants, and homes.

Question 74

____________________air pollutants enter the atmosphere directly-from smokestacks and tail pipes, for example.

Question 75

In the 1970s, ____________________ were the most widely used propellants in spray cans, such as deodorants and hairsprays.

Question 76

Many suspended particles are ____________________, meaning that water vapor readily condenses onto them.

Question 77

Since the ____________________ of 1970, emissions of most pollutants have fallen off substantially, with lead showing the greatest reduction, primarily due to the elimination of leaded gasoline.

Question 78

O + H₂O ----> OH + OH
In the above reaction, the OH is called a(n)____________________ because it contains an unpaired electron.
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Question 79

In which part of the United States is the main cause of acid deposition related to the oxides of nitrogen from auto exhaust rather than from heavy industry?

A)Northeastern states
B)Southeastern states
C)Great Plains
D)West Coast
E)Rocky Mountains

Question 80

To indicate the air quality in a particular region, the EPA developed the ____________________, which includes the pollutants carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, and ozone.