Air Pollutants and Their Impacts Flashcards

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What is meant by an air pollutant?

A substance in the air that is harmful to living things or the environment.

Name four main air pollutants released when fossil fuels are burned.

Carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen and particulates (tiny solid particles).

How does incomplete combustion of a fuel produce carbon monoxide?

When a fuel burns with not enough oxygen, the carbon in it does not fully react with oxygen, so carbon monoxide forms instead of carbon dioxide.

Why is carbon monoxide dangerous to people?

It is a colourless, odourless poisonous gas. It sticks to red blood cells and stops them carrying enough oxygen, which can kill you.

How is sulfur dioxide formed when fossil fuels are burned?

Many fossil fuels contain sulfur. When they burn, the sulfur reacts with oxygen to make sulfur dioxide gas.

How are oxides of nitrogen formed in car engines?

Inside hot engines, nitrogen and oxygen from the air react together to form oxides of nitrogen, called NOx.

What environmental problem is mainly caused by sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen?

They cause acid rain, because they dissolve in rainwater to form acids.

Give two harmful effects of acid rain on the environment.

It makes lakes and soil too acidic, killing fish and plants. It also damages metals and limestone buildings and statues.

What are particulates, and why are they a health concern?

They are tiny solid particles, such as soot, made in incomplete combustion. They can get deep into the lungs and increase the risk of breathing and heart problems.

What is global dimming and which air pollutant helps cause it?

Global dimming is a drop in the sunlight that reaches the Earth's surface. It is mainly caused by particulates that reflect sunlight back into space.

How does a catalytic converter in a car help reduce air pollution?

It contains catalysts that change harmful gases, such as carbon monoxide and oxides of nitrogen, into less harmful gases like carbon dioxide and nitrogen.

How can power stations reduce the amount of sulfur dioxide they release?

They can remove sulfur from fuels before they are burned. They can also pass waste gases through cleaners (flue gas desulfurisation) that react with and remove sulfur dioxide.