ES081 Lecture 17

Earth Sciences 081 - "Resources, Environment and Sustainability in a Material Society"

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Lecture 15

Air Pollution & Acid Rain

Today's objectives -

To learn the principle types and causes of air pollution.
To learn about acid rain and why it affects some regions more than others.
To learn how smog and ozone are produced.
To learn where particulates come from and why they are bad.

Vocabulary -

Air pollution –
pH –
acid rain –
Nitrogen oxide –
Smog –
Scrubbers –
ozone –
particulates –

Lecture Outline -

Acid rain
            SO₂ from sulfides in coal
            SO₂ reacts to form sulfuric acid
            Acid rain produced
            Carbonates neutralize
            Acid rocks (igneous rocks) become more acid
            Reducing SO₂ emissions
Smog – smoke and fog
            From combustion engines
            Components – Nitrogen oxide, Carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons
            Production of O₃ – ozone
            Heath effects
Particulates
Smoke, dust, pollen
Respiratory ailments
Radon
            Breakdown product of Uranium
            Builds up in basements