Deck 19: Atmospheric Pollution

Question 1

This figure indicates that most airline travel occurs at

A)the lowest atmospheric temperatures.
B)the highest atmospheric pressure.
C)altitudes above 300 miles.
D)atmospheric levels with the lowest pollution.

Answer 1

the lowest atmospheric temperatures.

Question 2

A temperature inversion occurs when

A)high levels of sunshine burn off a fog.
B)regions experience high winds and intense sunshine.
C)the air near the ground is cooler than the air directly above it.
D)the air near the ground is warmer than the air at higher altitudes.

Answer 2

the air near the ground is cooler than the air directly above it.

Question 3

Which one of the following is most associated with an air-pollution disaster?

A)high winds
B)a temperature inversion
C)increased industrial production
D)shutdown of a power plant

Answer 3

a temperature inversion

Question 4

In which of the following regions would we most expect to find industrial smog?

A)in southern Florida in high tourist regions along the beaches
B)in a farming region that primarily produces either cotton,soybeans,or corn
C)around an industrial town that burns coal to generate electricity and make steel
D)around a city that primarily relies on nuclear energy and public transportation

Question 5

Which of the following components of the atmosphere are most helpful in the cleansing of the air?

A)hydroxyl radicals
B)ozone
C)radon
D)sulfur dioxide

Question 6

Air pollution in a heavily industrialized region would be reduced and the air would be healthier if that region

A)received more rain.
B)received less sunshine.
C)were at least 200 miles from an ocean.
D)used more coal to generate electricity.

Question 7

When you exhale,the major components of your breath include all of the following except

A)carbon dioxide.
B)nitrogen.
C)oxygen.
D)hydrogen.

Question 8

On May 18,1980,a massive eruption of Mt.St.Helens in Washington State sent a huge plume of ash high into the air.Over the next two weeks,the ash traveled around the world.To move that far,the ash would have to

A)dissolve in the nitrogen of the air.
B)combine with moisture in the troposphere.
C)bind to aerosols in the lithosphere.
D)reach into the stratosphere.

Question 9

Which one of the following would be the most practical way to reduce levels of photochemical smog in a city that frequently experiences this problem?

A)changes in weather that produce more days of sunshine
B)changes in weather that result in more days of fog
C)reducing the amount of electricity generated using windmills
D)reducing the number of automobiles that burn gasoline and the amount of evaporated gasoline

Question 10

Nearly 300 million years ago,dragonflies existed that were the size of large hawks today.Some scientists believe that these giants could fly then,but not today,because oxygen in the atmosphere was much higher.If oxygen levels 300 million years ago were 50% higher than today,what percentage of the atmosphere would have consisted of oxygen for these giant dragonflies?

A)30%
B)20%
C)10%
D)2%

Question 11

The formation of sea salt aerosols help to clean the air by promoting the formation of

A)rain.
B)nitrogen oxides.
C)temperature inversions.
D)many types of sulfur compounds.

Question 12

Unlike industrial smog,photochemical smog occurs in regions that

A)experience frequent fog.
B)generate electricity by burning coal.
C)are far away from large bodies of water.
D)have high levels of sunshine.

Question 13

Which of the following would have most likely prevented the deadly 1948 smog in Donora,PA?

A)shift industrial production from the day to evening hours
B)add scrubbers to the smokestacks used by the Donora industries
C)increase use of coal to generate electricity and heat homes in the region
D)use high sulfur instead of low sulfur coal to generate electricity and heat homes

Question 14

Which of the following illustrates an anthropogenic form of pollution?

A)a large plume of ash from an erupting volcano
B)large clouds of smoke from a forest fire caused by lightning
C)sulfur dioxide released from a coal burning power plant
D)sea salt aerosols in the air above an ocean

Question 15

Which one of the following generally increases natural sources of the pollution of the air?

A)bright sunlight
B)generation of hydroxyl radicals
C)sea salt aerosols entering the air over an ocean
D)gases released by a volcanic eruption

Question 16

In 1948 in Donora,Pennsylvania,the routine release of toxins into the air became a deadly fog because of

A)a chemical spill in the nearby Monongahela River.
B)greatly increased activity of the nearby industries.
C)a thermal inversion and stagnant weather conditions.
D)the failure of the chemical scrubbing systems on smokestacks.

Question 17

The atmospheric brown cloud over much of China may be reduced by

A)switching from biomass to coal as sources of energy.
B)switching from natural gas to the use of biomass fuels.
C)climate change that promotes temperature inversions.
D)reducing the reliance on biomass and fossil fuels for energy.

Question 18

The abundant formation of hydroxyl radicals in the atmosphere

A)removes many common pollutants from the stratosphere.
B)removes many common pollutants from the troposphere.
C)promotes the formation of ozone that protects against damaging ultraviolet light.
D)promotes the formation of nitrous oxides that in turn lower levels of carbon dioxide.

Question 19

Atmospheric scientists often measure gases in parts per million by weight (ppm).If CO₂ is currently 0.04% of the atmosphere,the level expressed in ppm is

A)4 ppm.
B)4000 ppm.
C)400 ppm.
D)0)004 ppm.

Question 20

The air you breathe into your lungs on a daily basis mostly consists of

A)oxygen.
B)carbon dioxide.
C)nitrogen.
D)hydrogen.

Question 21

Recently,the major causes of acid-generating emission has shifted from

A)nitrogen oxides to sulfur oxides.
B)nulfur oxides to nitrogen oxides and ammonia.
C)carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide.
D)ozone and PANs to VOCs.

Question 22

Unlike naturally occurring sources of acid precipitation,anthropogenic sources of acid precipitation

A)are more concentrated in industrial and agricultural areas.
B)result in the extended release of radon gas.
C)include sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides.
D)occur at higher levels of pH.

Question 23

Which of the following are primary pollutants that frequently occur undetected in homes?

A)radon and carbon monoxide
B)soot,smoke,and salt aerosols
C)peroxyacetyl nitrate and sulfur dioxide
D)volatile organic compounds and peroxyacetyl nitrate

Question 24

Which of the following is a secondary pollutant in the troposphere but a beneficial component in the stratosphere?

A)ozone
B)nitrogen oxides
C)carbon monoxide
D)volatile organic compounds

Question 25

Unlike photochemical smog,the atmospheric brown cloud over much of south and central Asia

A)occurs only during the daytime,when the sun is shining brightest.
B)occurs year-round and includes black carbon and soot.
C)occurs only in coastal regions,where salt aerosols are most abundant.
D)results from the gases released from abundant rice fields and farm animals.

Question 26

Ozone levels can increase in the troposphere when

A)VOCs are present.
B)PANs react with atmospheric nitrogen to form ozone.
C)VOCs release ozone when they are broken apart by solar energy.
D)more carbon dioxide is available to contribute additional oxygen for ozone formation.

Question 27

Which of the following is a major anthropogenic source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)?

A)coal-fired electrical generating plants
B)agricultural fertilizers
C)incompletely combusted fossil fuels from vehicle exhaust
D)nuclear power plants

Question 28

The 1970 Clean Air Act and subsequent environmental regulations have resulted in

A)reductions in lead by about 89%.
B)reductions in carbon monoxide by about 10%.
C)surprising increases in sulfur dioxide levels by about 5%.
D)surprising increases in radon levels by about 20%.

Question 29

The greatest progress in reducing atmospheric levels of lead pollution resulted from

A)the elimination of leaded gas.
B)the switch from lead to graphite in pencils.
C)the development of new types of batteries that use lithium instead of lead.
D)new types of lead scrubbers on smokestacks that removed lead from the air.

Question 30

The conditions represented in this figure illustrate

A)a temperature inversion.
B)stratospheric smog.
C)the greenhouse effect.
D)how high levels of ozone affect climate near the ground.

Question 31

Burning fossil fuels in a low oxygen environment will most likely produce

A)carbon monoxide.
B)hydrogen peroxide.
C)sulfuric acid.
D)methane.

Question 32

Air pollutants most often lead to human health problems of the

A)circulatory and respiratory systems.
B)circulatory and digestive systems.
C)integumentary and muscular systems.
D)eyes and nasal passages.

Question 33

Acid rain concentrated in the eastern portions of the United States is primarily the result of

A)nuclear power plants in the region.
B)coal-burning power plants in the Midwest.
C)coal-burning power plants in northeastern Canada.
D)off-shore oil drilling rigs along the east coast of the United States.

Question 34

Which of the following is a secondary pollutant?

A)sulfur dioxide
B)radon
C)carbon monoxide
D)sulfuric acid

Question 35

Which of the following is an anthropogenic source of acid deposition?

A)sea spray
B)volcanic eruptions
C)extensive natural forest fires
D)gasoline engine emissions from automobiles

Question 36

The complete combustion of fossil fuels and refuse produces

A)radon and carbon monoxide.
B)volatile organic compounds.
C)sulfuric acid and nitric acid.
D)carbon dioxide and water vapor.

Question 37

Rain with a pH of 4.6 is

A)about 10 times more basic than rain from non-polluted regions.
B)typical of regions with very low pollution.
C)about 10 times more acidic than rain from non-polluted regions.
D)about 100 times more acidic than rain from non-polluted regions.

Question 38

Most of the public health impacts from air pollution are the result of

A)acute exposure to a single pollutant.
B)acute exposure to many pollutants.
C)chronic exposure to a single pollutant.
D)chronic exposure to many pollutants.

Question 39

Secondary air pollutants are formed by

A)the evaporation of solvents and gasoline.
B)the incomplete combustion of fuels.
C)primary pollutants reacting with other compounds in the atmosphere.
D)radioactive substances such as radon reacting with primary pollutants.

Question 40

Atmospheric nitrogen is converted to nitrogen oxides

A)when fuels are burned at high combustion temperatures.
B)if the sun is shining brightly and there is a temperature inversion.
C)on cloudy days when carbon and soot levels are unusually high.
D)if radon gas is present when gasoline is burned in automobiles.

Question 41

Crop damage from ozone formation is most likely to occur

A)downwind of a large urban center in the summer.
B)upwind of large polluting regions in the spring.
C)next to busy major highways in the winter
D)downwind from an ocean shoreline in the spring.

Question 42

The negative impacts of ozone pollution on forests are expected to increase as

A)ocean levels rise and wind patterns shift.
B)organisms spread northward because of warming climate conditions.
C)the increasing demand for timber further stresses the growth of trees.
D)temperatures increase and precipitation becomes more unpredictable.

Question 43

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States.This disease primarily affects

A)the respiratory passageways and alveoli of the lungs.
B)the esophagus,stomach,and other portions of the digestive tract.
C)the mouth,nose,and pharynx in the upper respiratory tract.
D)the heart,blood,and blood vessels throughout the body.

Question 44

Methyl mercury is a neurotoxin most likely to be consumed when you

A)eat contaminated produce.
B)drink water polluted by sulfur and nitrogen oxides.
C)eat fish in which the toxin bioaccumulates.
D)breathe air contaminated by photochemical smog.

Question 45

Recent studies indicate that two of the most dangerous components of air pollution in and around major cities in the United States are

A)fine particles and sulfur pollution.
B)carbon monoxide and ozone.
C)lead and volatile organic compounds.
D)radon and carbon monoxide.

Question 46

Assuming that these people do not use tobacco products,a person in which of the following professions would most likely have the highest exposure to benzene,a known carcinogen?

A)a truck driver or pharmaceutical company worker
B)a cashier at a grocery store
C)an accountant working in a large office building
D)a psychology professor

Question 47

Asthma is a serious and widespread disease related to air pollution.Symptoms of asthma include impaired breathing resulting from constricted air passages,a disorder of the

A)digestive system.
B)cardiovascular system.
C)endocrine system.
D)immune system.

Question 48

The aesthetic losses from polluted air are reflected in the

A)destruction of the stratospheric ozone.
B)rising cases of asthma near industrial centers.
C)degradation of outdoor stone sculptures and masonry.
D)declining productivity of agriculture downwind of cities.

Question 49

The 1970 Clean Air Act policy of command and control regulations of air pollution attempted to limit

A)all of the primary pollutants but not the secondary air pollutants.
B)the ambient level of air pollutants below the primary standard levels.
C)levels of air pollutants to 150% of the primary standard levels.
D)air pollution at the level of the consumer by adding a pollution tax.

Question 50

Lakes that suffer from environmental acidification typically have

A)fewer animals and higher levels of aluminum and heavy metals.
B)more animals and lower levels of aluminum and heavy metals.
C)more plants,fewer animals,and slightly higher levels of aluminum and heavy metals.
D)fewer plants,more animals,and slightly lower levels of aluminum and heavy metals.

Question 51

According to the Clean Air Act and its amendments,very unsafe levels of air pollution will

A)include high levels of lead.
B)exceed ambient standards for human and environmental health.
C)contain excessive ozone.
D)include primary and secondary pollutants.

Question 52

The deterioration of this stone sculpture reflects the damaging effects of

A)ultraviolet light.
B)carbon monoxide.
C)acid precipitation.
D)volatile organic compounds.

Question 53

The recovery of acidic lakes in the northeastern United States and eastern Canada is largely the result of

A)the buffering effects of the granite rock in these regions.
B)the widespread addition of limestone to the lakes in these regions.
C)the elimination of lead from gasoline sold in North America.
D)reductions in sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide pollution.

Question 54

Reading through the long list of health effects of smoking tobacco,a student is shocked to find that smokers are inhaling carbon monoxide.Which of the following symptoms is most related to this particular component of tobacco smoke?

A)shortness of breath
B)fibrosis of the lungs
C)chronic bronchitis
D)suppressed immune functions

Question 55

Lakes in the midwestern United States that have experienced sustained acid precipitation over many years have gradually

A)increased their pH because of the buffering effects of limestone.
B)increased their pH because of the depletion of the buffering effects of limestone.
C)decreased their pH because of the buffering effects of aluminum.
D)decreased their pH because of the depletion of the buffering effects of limestone.

Question 56

Forests that experience high levels of acid precipitation expose trees to soil that has

A)less dissolved calcium and aluminum.
B)more dissolved calcium and aluminum.
C)more dissolved calcium but less dissolved aluminum.
D)less dissolved calcium and more dissolved aluminum.

Question 57

Lakes severely impacted by acidification will most likely

A)be clear and blue,but with few fish or other animals.
B)be dark,muddy,and full of crustaceans and the larvae of insects.
C)have abundant surface vegetation and many insects but few fish.
D)be reddish in color due to the dissolved iron from nearby soils.

Question 58

Inhaling fine particulates from smoking or from industrial sources is most likely to

A)cause nasal irritation and sneezing.
B)result in their being trapped in and damaging lung alveoli.
C)result in their passing into the blood stream and damaging the heart and brain.
D)cause an increase in blood levels of carbon dioxide.

Question 59

The most widespread negative health impact of air pollution is the

A)destruction of the cellular components of the immune system.
B)loss of the ability to absorb vital nutrients by the digestive system.
C)disruption of the signaling processes of the endocrine system.
D)chronic stress that weakens many systems of the body.

Question 60

Which of the following is a natural soil buffer that is abundant in the midwestern United States and helps to reduce the amount of acidification of lakes in that region?

A)granite
B)limestone
C)sand and gravel
D)mosses and algae in the soil

Question 61

Our most recent understanding of the formation of tropospheric ozone requires the reduction of atmospheric levels of

A)volatile inorganic compounds.
B)carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds.
C)nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide.
D)nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds.

Question 62

The 2011 EPA standards for mercury and air toxics will reduce pollutants dramatically from

A)nuclear power plants.
B)oil and coal-fired power plants.
C)paper mills and CAFOs.
D)electric hybrid cars.

Question 63

In general,between 1990 and 2010,the fuel efficiency of vehicles sold in the United States has

A)increased dramatically,nearly doubling in this 20-year period.
B)increased by about 50%.
C)showed only a slight increase.
D)decreased by about 30% due to additional pollution control devices on exhaust systems.

Question 64

A cost-benefit analysis of the acid rain prevention programs shows that

A)there was no net economic benefit.
B)there was a large benefit and savings compared to costs.
C)there was a large loss because costs far outweighed benefits
D)with vastly increased spending,the program could show a net benefit.

Question 65

During the 1980s,damaging acid precipitation in North America largely fell

A)on Canada and the New England States.
B)in the Midwestern United States.
C)on the western states and Canadian provinces.
D)in the southwestern United States and Canada.

Question 66

Meeting the new 2010 higher CAFÉ standards in the United States will result in

A)fewer coal-burning power plants.
B)increased reliance upon wind and solar energy.
C)increased reliance upon natural gas.
D)better gas mileage and less air pollution.

Question 67

To meet the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990,

A)the EPA will no longer strictly enforce NAAQS standards.
B)each state must develop a strategy to meet NAAQS standards for all major pollutants.
C)state implementation plans apply only to sulfur and nitrogen oxide emissions.
D)states with large industrial air pollutant emissions are exempt from EPA scrutiny.

Question 68

As a result of measures to control acid-deposition in North America,over the last 20 years emissions of sulfur dioxide have been

A)steady,with little decrease in acid-deposition due to rising levels of nitrogen oxides.
B)reduced by about 10%,at great cost to the power producing industry.
C)reduced to target levels at about the projected cost of compliance.
D)reduced beyond target levels and at 10% of the projected compliance costs.

Question 69

The device in this image is responsible for decreased levels of

A)carbon monoxide,VOCs,and nitrogen oxides in the air you breathe.
B)carbon dioxide and nitrogen in the air you breathe.
C)carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide in the air you breathe.
D)carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides in the air you breathe.

Question 70

As demonstrated during the high oil prices of 2008,when gasoline prices skyrocket,hybrid vehicle sales

A)decrease and more people use public transportation.
B)increase and fewer people use public transportation.
C)decrease and fewer people use public transportation.
D)increase and more people use public transportation.

Question 71

CAIR and CASPR each attempted to regulate interstate air pollution using

A)a system of fines and criminal penalties.
B)a cap and trade method.
C)replaceable filters on smokestacks.
D)alternate fuels to generate electricity.

Question 72

Further acidification of the environment could be prevented by policies that

A)required catalytic converters on all vehicles sold in the United States.
B)switched 50% of U.S.vehicles to hybrid technologies.
C)greatly reduced the acid-producing emissions of coal-burning power plants.
D)greatly reduced the acid-producing emissions of nuclear power plants.

Question 73

Because of the main way that hybrid vehicles save fuel,hybrid electric vehicles

A)must be plugged in to power outlets at night or when parked for long periods.
B)must have their batteries changed about every 50,000 miles.
C)often have better mileage in cities than on highways.
D)cannot be produced with four-wheel drive powertrains.

Question 74

Which of the following is responsible for about half of all air pollution in the United States?

A)coal-fired power plants
B)railroad trains
C)cars,trucks,and buses
D)paper mills and steel mills

Question 75

Because of catalytic converters on the exhaust systems of automobiles,you breathe air with lower levels of

A)carbon monoxide,VOCs,and nitrogen oxides.
B)carbon dioxide and ammonia.
C)carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide.
D)carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides.

Question 76

Most of the increase in fuel efficiency of hybrid vehicles comes from

A)charging electric batteries when decelerating,idling or coasting.
B)charging electric batteries when cruising down the highway.
C)enclosing most of the wheels and other aerodynamic designs.
D)the use of smaller engines that produce less power and slower acceleration.

Question 77

Over the past 40 years in the United States,the number of vehicles on the road has

A)increased,the number of vehicle miles has increased,and the pollution per car has increased.
B)increased,the number of vehicle miles has increased,but the pollution per car has decreased.
C)decreased but the number of vehicle miles has increased,and the pollution per car has increased.
D)decreased,the number of vehicle miles has decreased,and the pollution per car has decreased.

Question 78

According to current NAAQS standards,particulates

A)less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter have the greatest impact on human health.
B)greater than 10 micrometers in diameter have the greatest impact on human health.
C)should not be regulated by the EPA based on size.
D)all regardless of size when released into the air drops out within 15 minutes and thus is quite safe.

Question 79

Which one of the following would release the lowest levels of particulates?

A)a nuclear power plant
B)a city bus running on diesel
C)a wood burning stove
D)a natural prairie wildfire

Question 80

Although acid precipitation has been reduced over the past two decades,progress has been slowed by

A)U)S.Supreme Court rulings that are very favorable to the energy industry.
B)the increased use of gasoline that contains high levels of sulfur dioxide.
C)the continuing and increasing impact of nitrogen deposition.
D)the increased reliance on high sulfur coal by the power industries.