Deck 14: Air Pollution

Question 1

PM-2.5 is more harmful than PM-10 because ____.

A) the smaller particles can penetrate farther into the lungs
B) the particles are usually liquid droplets
C) PM-10 particles evaporate before you breathe them
D) they contain radon

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The main component of photochemical smog is ____.

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

Answer 2

A

Question 3

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

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

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which substance is the most abundant primary air pollutant in the United States?

A) sulfur oxide
B) any volatile organic compound
C) nitrogen oxide
D) carbon monoxide

Question 5

Which pollutant is formed during the incomplete combustion of carbon-containing fuels?

A) sulfur dioxide (SO₂)
B) carbon monoxide (CO)
C) carbon dioxide (CO₂)
D) volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

Question 6

Which gas will replace oxygen in blood hemoglobin and thereby reduce the transport of oxygen to the brain?

A) sulfur dioxide (SO₂)
B) carbon monoxide (CO)
C) carbon dioxide (CO₂)
D) methane (CH₄)

Question 7

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

A) hydrocarbons
B) aerosols
C) carcinogens
D) haze

Question 8

Benzene, a known carcinogen, is an example of a ____.

A) sulfur oxide
B) volatile organic compound
C) nitrous oxide
D) carbon oxide

Question 9

Polar stratospheric clouds play a role in ____.

A) primary pollution
B) ozone destruction
C) photochemical smog
D) acid rain formation

Question 10

Air pollutants are ____ airborne substances.

A) exclusively solid
B) exclusively gaseous
C) exclusively liquid
D) either solid, liquid, or gaseous

Question 11

The legislation that empowers the U.S. Federal government to set emissions standards that each state is required to enforce is called ____.

A) Greenpeace
B) The Clean Air Act
C) The Clean Program
D) CLEAN

Question 12

Human-induced pollution enters the atmosphere from both ____.

A) fixed and natural sources
B) natural and secondary sources
C) fixed and mobile sources
D) natural and primary sources

Question 13

In the late 1970s, the United States banned the non-essential use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Why?

A) CFCs are a primary component of photochemical smog.
B) CFCs are toxic gases.
C) CFCs reduce the ozone concentration in the stratosphere.
D) CFCs react with water vapor to form acid rain.

Question 14

Which substance is considered a primary pollutant?

A) sulfuric acid
B) carbonic acid
C) particulate matter
D) nitric acid

Question 15

Prior to the 1950s, the smoke in London smog came primarily from ____.

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

Question 16

Ozone in the stratosphere primarily forms over ____ and is transferred to ____ by stratospheric winds.

A) the tropics; Australia
B) the tropics; the Antarctic
C) North America; the Antarctic
D) Europe; the Antarctic

Question 17

Which gas is an example of a volatile organic compound, or hydrocarbon?

A) sulfur dioxide
B) carbon dioxide
C) methane
D) ozone

Question 18

One major way in which chlorofluorocarbons can enter the stratosphere is ____.

A) from the exhaust of high-altitude aircraft
B) in an inversion
C) in building thunderstorms that penetrate into the lower stratosphere
D) from the rupture of radiosonde balloons

Question 19

Which toxic gas is an important component in London-type smog?

A) ozone (O₃)
B) sulfur dioxide (SO₂)
C) radon (Rn)
D) carbon monoxide (CO)

Question 20

Photochemical smog ____.

A) only forms at night
B) requires the presence of fog
C) requires the presence of smoke
D) requires ultraviolet radiation

Question 21

Ultraviolet radiation levels have ____ over the United States since the 1980s.

A) declined
B) increased
C) stayed the same
D) been variable

Question 22

Strong winds tend to lower pollutant concentrations through a process called ____.

A) inversion
B) conversion
C) dispersion
D) convection

Question 23

Which gas is a major source of indoor pollution?

A) carbon dioxide
B) radon
C) nitrous oxide
D) sulfuric acid

Question 24

HFCs and HCFCs are ____.

A) the primary components of photochemical smog
B) replacements for CFCs
C) clean-burning fossil fuels
D) cancer-causing chemicals produced by automobiles

Question 25

Since the 1970s, the overall trend in emissions of primary pollutants in the United States has ____.

A) increased
B) been variable
C) remained the same
D) declined

Question 26

Atmospheric stagnation is a condition normally brought on by ____.

A) thunderstorms
B) slow-moving anticyclones
C) overcast skies
D) tall buildings in a city

Question 27

The urban heat island is typically strongest ____.

A) at noontime
B) at night
C) in the late morning
D) in the afternoon

Question 28

In which area would air pollution typically be higher?

A) low-lying valley
B) hillside
C) top of mountain
D) over the ocean

Question 29

Pollution is most severe in urban areas when a ____.

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

Question 30

Erosion of many limestone buildings, fountains, and sculptures is being caused largely by ____.

A) acid rain
B) ozone
C) vibrations caused by automobile traffic
D) urban heat island

Question 31

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

A) A radiation inversion
B) A strong subsidence inversion
C) A large, slow-moving anticyclone
D) A deep mixing layer

Question 32

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

A) more slowly; higher
B) more quickly; higher
C) more slowly; lower
D) more quickly; lower

Question 33

Air becomes unhealthy when the air quality index (AQI) exceeds ____.

A) 1
B) 3
C) 10
D) 100

Question 34

Which condition typically contributes to major air pollution episodes lasting several days or longer?

A) a radiation inversion
B) a subsidence inversion
C) persistent winds
D) overcast skies

Question 35

During what time of day would you typically expect to see a fanning smoke plume?

A) noontime
B) early morning
C) afternoon
D) sunset

Question 36

A city is located at sea level. From the ground to 200 m altitude the temperature decreases by 3°C. From 200 m to 400 m altitude the temperature remains constant. The mixing depth is how many meters thick?

A) 0
B) 200
C) 400
D) 600

Question 37

A decline in the health of forests in Germany has been attributed to ____.

A) erosion caused by excessive lumber cutting
B) acid rain
C) increased CO₂ concentrations and global warming
D) urbanization

Question 38

Under which of the following conditions would air pollution over a city typically be highest?

A) on a rainy night
B) on a clear, calm night
C) on a rainy day
D) in the afternoon

Question 39

Rain with a pH of 4.5 would be considered ____.

A) acidic
B) alkaline
C) neutral
D) polluted

Question 40

Which chemical destroys ozone in the stratosphere?

A) carbon monoxide
B) chlorine
C) sulfur dioxide
D) nitric acid

Question 41

Indoor air pollution can sometimes be more unhealthy than outdoor air pollution.

Question 42

Instructions: Choose one answer from each pair of selections. Would rain with a pH value of 8.2 be considered ACIDIC or ALKALINE?

Question 43

Carbon monoxide (CO) has a strong pungent odor that warns of its presence before concentrations can build to dangerous levels.

Question 44

Instructions: Choose one answer from each pair of selections. You would expect to find the highest tropospheric ozone concentrations on a SUNNY | CLOUDY day.

Question 45

The Arctic stratosphere is normally too cold to allow formation of the clouds that help activate ozone-destroying chlorine.

Question 46

What compounds are formed when the two most abundant gases in the atmosphere react during high temperature combustion?

Question 47

Instructions: Choose one answer from each pair of selections. Is ozone a component of LONDON-TYPE or LOS ANGELES-TYPE smog?

Question 48

Dry haze scatters more sunlight than wet haze and causes a more noticeable drop in visibility.

Question 49

Instructions: Choose one answer from each pair of selections. The serious air pollution disasters mentioned in the text were associated with stationary centers of HIGH | LOW pressure.

Question 50

Where was the term smog first used, and why?

Question 51

What is the essential ingredient for photochemical reactions to take place?

Question 52

Instructions: Choose one answer from each pair of selections. Natural rain is slightly ACIDIC | ALKALINE caused by the dissolution of naturally occurring carbon dioxide in precipitation.

Question 53

What compounds would you expect to find downwind of a coal-fired power generation plant?

Question 54

Instructions: Choose one answer from each pair of selections. Subsidence inversions are produced by RISING | SINKING air motions.

Question 55

Instructions: Choose one answer from each pair of selections. A greater mixing depth would most likely be associated with a(n) STABLE | UNSTABLE atmosphere.

Question 56

Particles with diameters less than one micrometer can remain suspended in the atmosphere for several weeks.

Question 57

Instructions: Choose one answer from each pair of selections. Some studies suggest that cities might modify their local climate and cause MORE | LESS precipitation to fall in the city than in the surrounding countryside.

Question 58

What compounds did the United States ban in the late 1970s for all nonessential uses?

Question 59

Instructions: Choose one answer from each pair of selections. There is currently concern about INCREASING | DECREASING concentrations of ozone in the troposphere and decreasing concentrations of ozone in the stratosphere.

Question 60

Instructions: Choose one answer from each pair of selections. Do the chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in the atmosphere come from NATURAL or MAN-MADE sources?

Question 61

Explain how air pollution may influence the climate of a city.

Question 62

Explain how the semipermanent Pacific high off the coast of California influences the air pollution in the region.

Question 63

How does Los Angeles-type smog differ from London-type smog?

Question 64

Would you expect the concentrations of air pollutants to vary significantly during the day in the city? If so, when would you expect to find the highest concentrations of pollutants?

Question 65

Describe how the use of a tall smoke stack might improve air quality near a large industrial facility.