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Chapter 15 Section 4: The Air We Breathe

Chapter 15 Section 4: The Air We Breathe. Mrs. Mannel Earth Science. Air Quality. Even “clean” air is polluted from natural sources Pollutants such as dust, sea salt, volcanic ash, smoke from forest fires, pollen, and swamp gas contaminate the air we breath

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Chapter 15 Section 4: The Air We Breathe

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  1. Chapter 15Section 4: The Air We Breathe Mrs. Mannel Earth Science

  2. Air Quality • Even “clean” air is polluted from natural sources • Pollutants such as dust, sea salt, volcanic ash, smoke from forest fires, pollen, and swamp gas contaminate the air we breath • Air pollution from humans is most common in cities

  3. Types of Air Pollution • Typically described as Primary or Secondary pollutants • Primary Pollutants are put directly into the air by human or natural activity (exhaust, volcanoes) • Secondary Pollutants form from chemical reactions that occur when primary pollutants come into contact with other primary pollutants (ozone, smog)

  4. Sources of Human-Caused Air Pollution • Cars contribute 60% of air pollution in the U.S. • Industrial and electrical power plants burn fossil fuels which causes large amounts of oxides to be released into the air

  5. The Air Pollution Problem • Air pollution can be a local problem (smog) and a global problem • It is a global problem when winds transfer local pollution from one place to another

  6. Acid Precipitation • Precipitation from air pollution that contains acids is called Acid Precipitation • Sulfur and Nitric Oxides produced from the burning of fossil fuels mix with water droplets in the atmosphere • Acid precipitation can kill fish and trees by making their environment too acidic to live

  7. The Ozone Hole • In the 1970s scientists discovered that certain chemicals released into the atmosphere react with ozone • This reaction caused a breakdown of the ozone layer which would allow harmful UV rays to reach the Earth’s surface

  8. Effects on Human Health • Children, elderly people and people with allergies, lung problems, and heart problems are very vulnerable to the effects of air pollution • Air pollution can cause dizziness, burning and itchy eyes, trouble breathing, sore throat, lung cancer, chest pains and increased colds

  9. Cleaning Up Our Act • The Clean Air Act passed in 1970 is a law that gives the EPA the authority to control the amount of air pollutants that can be released from any source • They also check for air quality and set requirements for car manufacturers and factories

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