Environmental Chemistry Challenge

What are the main causes of water pollution?

• Natural evaporation

• Rainwater collection

• Desalination processes

• Industrial waste, agricultural runoff, sewage and wastewater, plastic waste, oil spills.

Name three greenhouse gases and their sources.

• Carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and their sources: CO2 from fossil fuel combustion, CH4 from fossil fuel production, N2O from agriculture.

• Sulfur dioxide (SO2) from volcanic eruptions

• Ozone (O3) from vehicle emissions

• Water vapor (H2O) from ocean evaporation

How does acid rain form and what are its effects?

• Acid rain is caused by volcanic eruptions releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

• Acid rain forms when rainwater absorbs excess oxygen from the air, making it acidic.

• Acid rain is a result of natural processes like plant respiration and has no significant effects.

• Acid rain is formed from the reaction of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides with water vapor in the atmosphere, leading to harmful effects on ecosystems, buildings, and human health.

What are the primary sources of air pollution?

• Household cleaning products

• Plastic waste disposal

• Industrial emissions, vehicle exhaust, burning of fossil fuels, agricultural activities, natural sources (wildfires, volcanic eruptions)

• Noise pollution from traffic

Define pollutants and give two examples.

• Sugar and salt

• Two examples of pollutants are carbon monoxide and plastic waste.

• Water and sunlight

• Oxygen and nitrogen

What is the impact of water pollution on aquatic life?

• Water pollution severely harms aquatic life by causing toxicity, habitat destruction, and disruption of ecosystems.

• Aquatic life thrives in polluted waters due to increased food sources.

• Water pollution improves aquatic life by providing nutrients.

• Water pollution has no effect on aquatic ecosystems.

How do greenhouse gases contribute to global warming?

• Greenhouse gases have no impact on global temperatures.

• Greenhouse gases contribute to global warming by trapping heat in the atmosphere, preventing it from escaping into space.

• Greenhouse gases cool the atmosphere by reflecting sunlight.

• Greenhouse gases increase the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere.

What measures can be taken to reduce acid rain?

• Promote the use of plastic products

• Reduce emissions of SO2 and NOx, promote renewable energy, and enforce stricter regulations.

• Increase use of fossil fuels

• Ignore industrial emissions

Explain the difference between primary and secondary pollutants.

• Primary pollutants can only be gases, while secondary pollutants can be solids or liquids.

• Secondary pollutants are emitted directly from sources, while primary pollutants form through reactions.

• Primary pollutants are emitted directly from sources, while secondary pollutants form through reactions in the atmosphere.

• Primary pollutants are always more harmful than secondary pollutants.

What role do plants play in reducing air pollution?

• Plants have no effect on air quality.

• Plants reduce air pollution by absorbing carbon dioxide, releasing oxygen, filtering pollutants, and absorbing toxins.

• Plants only absorb sunlight and do not filter air pollutants.

• Plants produce more carbon dioxide than oxygen.