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32 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Air pollution is? |
The presence of chemicals in the atmosphere in quantities harmful to human health and the environment. |
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Primary pollutants are? |
Emitted from smoke stacks, cars, industrial processes, open burning. (Sulfur oxides-SOx, nitrogen oxides-NOx, Particulate matter-PM, Carbon Dioxide-CO2, lead-Pb) |
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Secondary pollutants? |
Not emitted directly from a source, but derived from precursor compounds. (SOx+H2O=acid rain/sulfuric acid) (NOx+organics+light=ozone and smog or PAN) |
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Human health effects? |
Aggravated existing health conditions; constriction of airways; eye and lung irritation; toxic, cancer, and reproductive problems; poor lung development in children. |
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Damage to? |
Plants, aquatic life, and materials. |
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Air pollution episodes? |
Donora, Pennsylvania (October, 1948) New York City (Fall 1953-1966) London (December, 1952) Mesue River (December, 1930) Poza Rico, Mexico (1950) Bhopal, India (December, 1984) |
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Baghouses? |
Particulate removal |
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Scrubbers? |
Sulfur removal |
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Precipitators? |
Particulate removal |
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Air pollution effects on Appalachian Mountains? |
Makes soil and waters acidic, ozone damage on plants, visibility is impaired, human health damaged |
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What land marks are mentioned in "The search for clean air"? |
Kingston smoke Stacks, Mount Mitchell, Watertown, St Louis |
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How has human health been impacted by air pollution? |
Lung development in children, respiratory problems, shortened mortality, 60,000 deaths |
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Effects of air pollution in Eastern Europe? |
Acid rain eats away at buildings, many trees are dead, more hospital visitors |
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Climate is? |
The average long term weather of an area; a region's general pattern of atmospheric or weather conditions averaged over 30 days |
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Two most important factors of climate? |
Temperature and precipitation |
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Major greenhouse gases? |
Water vapor Carbon dioxide Ozone Methane Nitrogen oxides Chlorofluorocarbons |
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Impacts of a warmer world? |
Changes in food distribution Reduced H2O in some areas Makeup and location of forests Changes in biodiversity Rise in sea level Weather extremes Disease increases Social dysfunction/refugees |
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Effects of ozone depletion? |
Increased skin cancer Increased cataracts Worse sunburns Immune system suppression Lower crop yields Upset food webs |
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Water is required for? |
Agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, recreation, fish and wildlife, waste removal, and electricity generation. |
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Water moderates climate and dilutes pollution |
. |
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Aquifer is? |
Porus, water-saturated layers of sand, gravel, or bed rock through which groundwater flows. |
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Zone of saturation? |
Underground spaces filled with water |
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Water table |
Upper surface of the zone of saturation |
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Vadose zone? |
Unsaturated space |
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In the U.S. groundwater provides? |
23% of fresh H2O 50% of drinking water 40% of irrigation H2O H2O 40% of stream flow |
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Ground water is... |
Slow to cleanse itself due to slow movement, cool temperature, and small # of microbes |
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Overuse of groundwater can result in? |
Aquifer depletion, subsidence and salt water intrusion |
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3 major threats to the environment in the Colorado rockies? |
Mining (acidic drainage), acid precipitation, tourism and recreation |
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#1 source of air pollution is...? |
Vehicles |
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Acspestis in |
Pipes and insulators |
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Main air pollutants? |
Methane and CO2 |
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Ozone |
Filters excess sunlight (and is getting thinner) |
