Deck 19: Air Pollution

Question 1

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.​

Answer 1

True

Question 2

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

Answer 2

False

Question 3

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

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The depletion of stratospheric ozone could cause suppression of the human immune system.​

Question 5

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

Question 6

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 7

​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 8

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

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

Question 9

Particulate pollution not only adversely affects the lungs, but can also interfere with the normal rhythm of the human heart.​

Question 10

​Particulate pollution with diameters less than 2.5 µm 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

Question 11

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

Question 12

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

Question 13

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

Question 14

​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 15

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

Question 16

​Collectively, particles of soot, smoke, dust, and pollen are called ____.

A) ​hydrocarbons
B) ​aerosols
C) ​carcinogens
D) ​haze
E) ​CFCs

Question 17

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

Question 18

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

Question 19

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

Question 20

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

Question 21

​More than ____percent of the total PM_2.5 particles emissions across the United States in recent years have been attributed to emissions from wildland fires.

A) ​2
B) ​5
C) ​10
D) ​25
E) ​50

Question 22

​The ozone hole is found in the ____.

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

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

​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 25

​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 26

​The most abundant volatile organic compound is ____.

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

Question 27

​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 28

​The formation of ____ begins when ultraviolet radiation (at wavelengths of about 0.31 µm 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 29

​Once released into the atmosphere, chlorofluorocarbons remain about ____.

A) ​10-20 days
B) ​50-100 years
C) ​1-2 years
D) ​1-2 month
E) ​1000 years

Question 30

​The most plentiful primary pollutant is ____.

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

Question 31

​The main component of photochemical smog is ____.

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

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

​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 34

​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 35

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

A) ​chlorine
B) ​nitrogen
C) ​carbon dioxide
D) ​carbon
E) ​water vapour

Question 36

​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 37

​Volcanic eruptions are an important natural source of ____.

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

Question 38

​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 39

​When water vapor condenses onto suspended air particles and they reach a diameter between 0.1 and 1.0 µm, 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

​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 41

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

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

Question 42

​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 43

​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 44

​The stability of the atmosphere is determined by the way the air temperature changes with height, which is known as the ____.

A) ​inversion rate
B) ​mixing layer
C) ​mixing depth
D) ​lapse rate
E) ​stabilizing rate

Question 45

​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 46

​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 47

​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 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

​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 50

​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 51

​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 52

​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 53

​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 54

​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 55

​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 56

​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 57

​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 58

​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 59

​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 60

​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 61

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.​

Question 62

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 63

O + H₂O ----> OH + OH​
In the above reaction, the OH is called a(n)____________________because it contains an unpaired electron.

Question 64

​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 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

Strong winds tend to____________________the concentration of pollutants by spreading them apart as they move downstream.​

Question 68

​The cost of damage to building surfaces, monuments, and other structures caused by acid deposition is estimated to run into the ____ of dollars each year.

A) ​thousands
B) ​hundreds of thousands
C) ​millions
D) ​billions
E) ​trillions

Question 69

The main component of photochemical smog is the gas____________________.​

Question 70

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

Question 71

​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 72

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

Question 73

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

Question 74

​A coning shape exhibited by a smokestack plume is indicative of what type of condition(s)?

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

Question 75

​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 76

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

Question 77

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

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

Question 78

The two primary nitrogen pollutants are nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and nitric oxide (NO), which, together, are commonly referred to as ____________________,or simply, oxides of nitrogen.​

Question 79

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

Question 80

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