Air Pollution and Human Impacts

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Air Pollution Noun

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[air puh-loo-shun]

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Air Pollution

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The contamination of air by smoke and other harmful gases, making it unhealthy for humans, animals, and plants.

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Example: This image shows that air pollution, caused by sources like factories, cars, and smoking, directly harms human health by damaging the lungs.

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Air Pollutant Noun

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[air puh-loo-tunt]

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Air Pollutant

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Any material, such as smoke or a harmful gas, that causes air pollution when present in the atmosphere.

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Example: Sunlight causes pollutants like Nitrogen Oxides and Volatile Organic Compounds to react in the air, forming a new pollutant called ground-level ozone.

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Fossil Fuels Noun

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[fos-uhl fyoo-uhls]

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Fossil Fuels

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Natural fuels like coal, formed from ancient organisms, whose burning is a major source of air pollution.

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Example: This diagram shows how ancient marine organisms die, get buried, and are transformed by heat and pressure over millions of years into petroleum, a type of fossil fuel.

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Carbon Dioxide Noun

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[kar-buhn dai-ok-said]

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Carbon Dioxide

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A gas pollutant produced by burning fossil fuels, which contributes significantly to carbon pollution and climate change.

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Example: Burning hydrocarbons, like coal, combines them with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide, a major air pollutant, along with water, heat, and light.

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Carbon Monoxide Noun

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[kar-buhn mon-ok-said]

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Carbon Monoxide

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A harmful gas pollutant from burning fossil fuels that can be deadly to humans in poorly ventilated spaces.

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Example: This diagram shows how a car's catalytic converter changes harmful carbon monoxide (CO) gas into less harmful carbon dioxide (CO2) to reduce air pollution.

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Combustion Engine Noun

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[kuhm-buhs-chun en-jin]

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Combustion Engine

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An engine that generates power by burning fuel, a known source of carbon, sulfur, and particle pollution.

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Example: This diagram shows the four steps of a combustion engine: intake, compression, power, and exhaust. The final exhaust step releases gases into the atmosphere.

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Particulates Noun

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[par-tik-yuh-lits]

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Particulates

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Fine solid or liquid particles suspended in the air, such as smoke, dust, and ash, that reduce visibility.

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Example: This diagram shows that particulates in the air come in different sizes, with PM10 being a mix of larger 'coarse' particles and smaller 'fine' particles (PM2.5).

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Smog Noun

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[smog]

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Smog

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A form of air pollution that coats the sky, reduces visibility, and decreases sunlight reaching the ground.

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Example: This diagram shows how primary pollutants from sources like cars and factories react with sunlight to form secondary pollutants, creating photochemical smog.

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Ozone Noun

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[oh-zohn]

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Ozone

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A gas that, as a ground-level pollutant, can reduce plant productivity and cause illnesses in humans.

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Example: This diagram shows the ozone layer surrounding Earth, acting as a shield that blocks most of the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

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Nitrogen Dioxide Noun

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[nai-truh-juhn dai-ok-said]

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Nitrogen Dioxide

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An oxide gas (NO2) that is a major air pollutant and a primary contributor to the formation of acid rain.

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Example: This image shows four ways to represent a Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂) molecule: its chemical formula, its 2D structure, and two 3D models showing one nitrogen and two oxygen atoms.