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Air Quality Revision

Air Quality Revision. The Atmosphere. The Earth is surrounded by an atmosphere made up of: 78% Nitrogen 21% Oxygen 1% Argon Plus Carbon Dioxide and water vapour. Pollutants. Human activity adds CO, CO 2 , carbon, NO x and SO 2 to the atmosphere.

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Air Quality Revision

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  1. Air Quality Revision

  2. The Atmosphere • The Earth is surrounded by an atmosphere made up of: • 78% Nitrogen • 21% Oxygen • 1% Argon • Plus Carbon Dioxide and water vapour

  3. Pollutants • Human activity adds CO, CO2, carbon, NOx and SO2 to the atmosphere. • Some of these are harmful to humans or harmful to the environment.

  4. Combustion Reactions • When fuels burn carbon and hydrogen in the fuel react with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water. + + +

  5. Combustion Reactions • Burning fossil fuels also produces; • Carbon Monoxide CO (from incomplete oxidation of carbon) • Sulfur Dioxide SO2 (from sulfur in the fuel) • Nitrogen Monoxide NO • Nitrogen Dioxide NO2 (from nitrogen in the air inside an engine) • Remember that the number of atoms before and after the reaction must be the same. • This means that the tonnes of fuel we burn end up in the atmosphere.

  6. Where do pollutants go? • Particulate carbon is deposited on surfaces making them dirty. • Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide react with water and oxygen to make acid rain. • Carbon dioxide is used by plants in photosynthesis. • Carbon dioxide dissolves in rain water and sea water.

  7. Reducing Pollution Power Stations • Use less electricity. • Remove the sulfur from gas and oil. • Remove SO2 and carbon power station flues. Cars • Lean burn engines. • Low sulfur fuels. • Catalytic Converters. • Emissions testing and legal limits. • Public Transport.

  8. Analysing Data • Understand that individual cases do not provide convincing evidence. • Understand why it is necessary to repeat a study to confirm it. • Understand that a change in one factor at the same time as another is a ‘correlation’. • However, a correlation does not mean one factor changing causes the other to change.

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