Air Pollution Simulation

Air Pollution Simulation

What do you already know?

Open Ended

Think! What is pollution? Why is it bad for the environment?

Open Ended

Define! What does it mean for air to be polluted? Explain in your own words.

Environmental Pollution

On the next slide, you will access the Air Pollution LabX Simulation.

1. Follow the link. Open it in a new window. You will have to click back and forth or create a split screen.

2. Click "Run Simulation"

3. Read the introduction that pops up to learn about factors that can influence air pollution

LabXchange

You can open this webpage in a new tab.

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​https://www.labxchange.org/library/items/lb:LabXchange:c7bfdafe:lx_simulation:1

Open Ended

What is the difference between a primary and a secondary pollutant?

Open Ended

Run the simulation as is and observe how pollution accumulates in the air.

What do you think the greatest sources of pollution are in this area?

Poll

Predict! Do you think that a change in weather and environmental factors can have an impact on pollution?

• yes

• no

Open Ended

Increase and decrease WIND ONLY!

What do you notice about the impact changing wind has on pollution?

Open Ended

Increase and decrease TEMPERATURE ONLY.

What do you notice about the impact changing temperature has on pollution?

Open Ended

Increase and decrease SUNLIGHT ONLY.

What do you notice about the impact changing sunlight has on pollution?

Open Ended

Increase and decrease RAIN ONLY. What do you notice about the impact changing rain has on pollution?

Open Ended

Think! Why does the amount of sunlight have such a significant impact on the amount of secondary pollutants?

Industrial Pollution

While the environment can have a slight impact on air pollution, the amount of urbanization in an area can have a far greater impact. Run the simulation and note the amount of cars driving on the street.

Poll

Predict! Do you think the number of cars will have an impact on air pollution?

• Yes

• No

Open Ended

Try It! Slowly increase the number of cars present and note the change in air pollution.

What do you observe?

Open Ended

Analyze! What percentage of these cars use fossil fuels and what percentage are electric?

Open Ended

Predict! Do you think electric cars will have a positive or negative impact on air quality? Why?

Poll

Analyze! Was your prediction correct?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Power Plants also have an impact on air pollution. What happens to the amount of air pollution when you increase the number of power plants?

• air pollution increases

• air pollution decreases

• air pollution stays the same

Poll

What two things could you change that could result in zero pollution?

• amount of sunlight

• percentage of electric cars

• number of factories

• rainfall

Multiple Choice

Which has a greater impact on air quality?

• environmental factors (sunlight, rain, temperature)

• industrial factors (traffic, industry, settlement)

Poll

Solve! A town of 5,000 people has three power plants and over half of the citizens drive cars that run on fossil fuels.

Do you think they have good air quality?

• Yes, the air quality is good

• No, the air quality is poor

• The air quality is ok, but it could be better

Open Ended

Solve! A town of 5,000 people has three power plants and over half of the citizens drive cars that run on fossil fuels.

What suggestions would you make to decrease air pollution?