Air Pollution Flashcards

1️⃣ Familiarise yourself with the flashcards:

  • Look through all the flashcards to see what's on both sides.
  • Make sure you understand the information on each card. If something's unclear, click the link to the revision notes at the bottom of the page for more details.

2️⃣ Test yourself:

  • Look at the question or prompt on each card and try to remember the answer before flipping it over.
  • Check the answer and make a note of any cards you find challenging and need to go over more.

3️⃣ Consistently Review and Practice:

  • Use spaced repetition: spend more time on the cards you struggle with and go over them more often.
  • Regularly review all the flashcards to help you better understand and retain the information over time.

Note: We may include questions that have multiple correct answers. It's useful to remember specific examples to understand these concepts better.

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What is air pollution?

Air pollution is when harmful substances are present in the air.

What is the main human source of air pollutants?

Burning fossil fuels in vehicles, homes, and power stations.

What is incomplete combustion and what does it produce?

Burning a fuel with not enough oxygen; it makes carbon monoxide and soot (particulates).

Why is carbon monoxide dangerous?

It is a colourless, odourless gas that stops blood carrying oxygen, which can be fatal.

What are particulates and what problems do they cause?

They are tiny solid particles from burning fuels. They can harm lungs and cause global dimming.

What is global dimming?

Less sunlight reaches Earth's surface because particulates reflect and block sunlight.

What causes sulphur dioxide in the air?

Sulphur in fossil fuels burns to form sulphur dioxide gas.

How are nitrogen oxides formed in car engines?

Nitrogen and oxygen in the air react at high temperatures in engines to form oxides of nitrogen.

How does acid rain form?

Sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen dissolve in rain water to make acids.

Give two effects of acid rain.

It kills plants and fish, and it damages buildings and metals.

How does a catalytic converter reduce air pollution?

It changes carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide and oxides of nitrogen into nitrogen gas.

How can power stations reduce sulphur dioxide emissions?

Use low-sulphur fuels and fit scrubbers to remove sulphur dioxide from waste gases.