Air Pollution

Clean air consists mostly of

• nitrogen and oxygen.

• oxygen and carbon dioxide.

• carbon dioxide and argon.

• water vapor and oxygen.

Which of the following pollutants is an example of a secondary pollutant?

• dust that comes from a construction workshop

• ozone that comes from vehicle emissions

• smoke that comes from a forest fire

• smoke that comes from cigarettes

An individual could directly help reduce air pollution by

• riding a bike, walking, or using public transportation, when possible, instead of riding in a car.

• wearing a gas mask on days with heavy air pollution

• monitoring the amount of acid precipitation in the atmosphere

• installing a scrubber in his or her chimney.

Which of the following does not occur during a temperature inversion?

• Air temperatures decrease as elevation decreases.

• Cool air at the Earth's surface cannot move upward

• Pollutants become trapped near the Earth's surface

• Mountains intensify temperature inversions.

All of the following factors contribute to serious air pollution problems in urban areas except

• large numbers of vehicles.

• factories and power plants.

• electrostatic precipitators.

• climate.

Noise pollution

• comes from sound of any kind.

• can cause a loss of hearing, high blood pressure, stress, and sleep loss

• usually occurs only in cities.

• is defined as continuous exposure to sounds over 120 dB.

The concern that is most specific to light pollution is

• negative effects on human health.

• wasted energy.

• crime.

• limited sky glow

Short-term effects of air pollution on human health include all of the following except

• headaches and dizziness.

• coughing and difficulty breathing.

• sore muscles.

• bronchitis and pneumonia.

Long-term exposure to air pollution has been linked to all of the following except

• alcohol and drug abuse.

• emphysema, lung cancer, and heart disease.

• damage to children's lungs.

• worsened health problems among the elderly.

____________ is a radioactive gas that occurs naturally in the Earth's crust and can seep through cracks and holes in foundations into buildings, where it adheres to dust particles and causes serious health problems.

• Radon

• Asbestos

• Carbon monoxide

• Ground-level ozone