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Air Pollution
Air pollution is the presence of natural and artificial substances in the air that affect the health of humans and other organisms. A person continuously exposed to polluted air may eventually develop lung problems.
7,659 Questions
Why will catalytic converters not help to solve the problem of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?
Catalytic converters reduce emissions of harmful pollutants that contribute to air pollution and smog, but they do not address greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide that contribute to global warming. Greenhouse gases are mainly produced by burning fossil fuels for energy, transportation, and industrial processes, and require broader strategies such as transitioning to renewable energy sources and improving energy efficiency to address.
What is the layer of the atmosphere were jets fly through and contains ozone layer?
Jets fly through the stratosphere, which is the second layer of the Earth's atmosphere. The stratosphere contains the ozone layer, which helps to absorb and block harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
Why is the ozone in the stratosphere a desirable gas?
Ozone in the stratosphere is desirable because it forms a protective layer that shields Earth from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. This helps prevent skin cancer, cataracts, and other harmful effects on humans, animals, and plants.
What contains the ozone layer in eath's atmosphere?
The ozone layer in Earth's atmosphere is mainly composed of ozone molecules (O3). It is located in the stratosphere, a layer of the atmosphere between about 10 and 50 kilometers above Earth's surface. The ozone layer plays a crucial role in absorbing and filtering out the majority of the Sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
What does ethanol do to the ozone layer?
Burning ethanol releases Carbon Dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas which is causing global warming. It has very little to do with the ozone layer, which was damaged last century by chlorine and bromine from CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons), released from aerosols and refrigeration.
The ozone layer is located in the stratosphere of the Earth's atmosphere. It is a region where high concentrations of ozone molecules are present, serving as a shield against harmful ultraviolet radiation from the Sun.
How can the ozone gas be reduced?
Ozone depletion describes two distinct but related phenomena observed since the late 1970s: a steady decline of about 4% per decade in the total volume of ozone in Earth's stratosphere (the ozone layer), and a much larger springtime decrease in stratospheric ozone over Earth's polar regions. The latter phenomenon is referred to as the ozone hole. In addition to these well-known stratospheric phenomena, there are also springtime polar tropospheric ozone depletion events.
The details of polar ozone hole formation differ from that of mid-latitude thinning, but the most important process in both is catalytic destruction of ozone by atomic halogens.[1] The main source of these halogen atoms in the stratosphere is photodissociation of man-made halocarbonrefrigerants (CFCs, freons, halons). These compounds are transported into the stratosphere after being emitted at the surface. [2] Both types of ozone depletion were observed to increase as emissions of halo-carbons increased.
CFCs and other contributory substances are referred to as ozone-depleting substances (ODS). Since the ozone layer prevents most harmful UVB wavelengths (280-315 nm) of ultraviolet light (UV light) from passing through the Earth's atmosphere, observed and projected decreases in ozone have generated worldwide concern leading to adoption of the Montreal Protocol that bans the production of CFCs, halons, and other ozone-depleting chemicals such as carbon tetrachloride and trichloroethane. It is suspected that a variety of biological consequences such as increases in skin cancer, cataracts,[3] damage to plants, and reduction of plankton populations in the ocean's photic zone may result from the increased UV exposure due to ozone depletion.
What were the primary gases in the paleoatmosphere?
The primary gases in the paleoatmosphere were carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and water vapor. There were also smaller amounts of methane and ammonia. These gases contributed to the greenhouse effect and the overall composition of Earth's atmosphere during that time.
How is the release of carbon from limestone reservoirs into the atmosphere most often accomplished?
Carbon release from limestone reservoirs into the atmosphere most often occurs through human activities such as mining and quarrying operations. When limestone is extracted and processed, it can release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to carbon emissions.
What layer of atmosphere do the CFC's destroy?
When CFCs are present in the stratosphere they reacted on by ultra violet light to release a chloride ion. The ion breaks down an ozone molecule to create an oxygen molecule and ionic oxygen. The ionic oxygen releases more chloride ions to break down more ozone and CFCs
The end result is the ozone is converted to oxygen quicker than natural processes can replace it
What is the layer of the atmosphere in which the ozone absorbs ultraviolet solar radiation?
The ozone layer is located in the stratosphere, which is the second layer of the Earth's atmosphere. It absorbs and filters out a significant portion of the Sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation, protecting life on Earth from its harmful effects.
What are human health problems associated with the thinning of the ozone layer?
Thinning of the ozone layer can lead to increased UV radiation exposure, which is linked to various health problems in humans such as skin cancer, cataracts, and suppressed immune system function. UV radiation can also worsen existing conditions like eczema and lupus, and increase the risk of sunburns.
The recovery of the ozone layer is a slow process because of the long atmospheric lifetime of CFCs and other ozone-depleting substances. Although the restrictions on CFC use started in the mid 1990s, it takes time for these chemicals to break down in the atmosphere and for ozone levels to start rebounding. Additionally, natural factors such as variations in atmospheric conditions can also affect the speed of ozone layer recovery.
An increase in carbon dioxide worldwide than yes it would cause global warming based on the greenhouse effect, as more carbon dioxide would build up in our atmosphere trapping more heat, raising the earth's temperature and therefore causing global warming.
What is a industrial product that damages the ozone layer?
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are industrial products that used to be commonly found in refrigerants, aerosol propellants, and foam insulators. CFCs are known to deplete the ozone layer when released into the atmosphere. However, their production and use have been significantly reduced following international agreements like the Montreal Protocol.
What does the stratosphere contain that is unique to the other layers?
The stratosphere contains the ozone layer, which helps to absorb and block a significant amount of the sun's ultraviolet radiation from reaching the Earth's surface. This protective layer is important for shielding life on Earth from harmful UV rays.
What does burning fossil fuels leads to?
Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. This contributes to climate change by trapping heat and leading to global warming. It also causes air pollution, leading to respiratory illnesses and other health problems.
What gas found in the stratosphere is considered a pollutant when found in the troposphere?
Ozone is a gas found in the stratosphere that is beneficial as it absorbs harmful UV radiation. However, when present in the troposphere, it is considered a pollutant as it contributes to smog formation and respiratory issues.
What is the enemy of the ozone layer and where is this enemy found?
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are the main enemy of the ozone layer. They are found in refrigerants, aerosol propellants, and foam-blowing agents. When released into the atmosphere, CFCs break down ozone molecules, leading to ozone depletion.
The Kyoto Protocol is the 1997 global agreement to greenhouse gases that was signed by virtually every country in the world except the US. The protocol aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change.
Ammonia decomposes at altitudes and does not contain chlorine, so it does not contribute to ozone depletion. This makes ammonia a more environmentally friendly refrigerant compared to CFCs, HCFCs, and HFCs which all contain chlorine or fluorine that can reach the stratospheric ozone layer.
The Kyoto Protocol is the 1997 global agreement aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It was signed by almost every country in the world, except the United States.
Which countries stop destroying ozone layer?
Many countries have ratified the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty aimed at protecting the ozone layer by phasing out the production of substances that deplete it, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). Countries that adhere to the regulations outlined in the Montreal Protocol are actively working to stop destroying the ozone layer.
Where does all the carbon from the burning of fossil fuel end up?
Carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) ends up in the atmosphere. The normal carbon cycle is able to remove more than half of it, but the rest remains, slowly building up from 280 ppm (parts per million) 150 years ago to the present (2013) 400 ppm. This build up is what is causing global warming.
Is carbon 12 associated with fossil fuel burning?
Yes, you might have heard, which lead you to ask this question. I remember seeing graph's of how much and what time frame Carbon 12 has been put into are atmosphere.
Here is one website that has a good explanation about it, all I did was type carbon 12 released from burning fossil fuels.
http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2004/12/how-do-we-know-that-recent-cosub2sub-increases-are-due-to-human-activities-updated/
And here is a short passage from that website...
Another, quite independent way that we know that fossil fuel burning and land clearing specifically are responsible for the increase in CO2 in the last 150 years is through the measurement of carbon isotopes. Isotopes are simply different atoms with the same chemical behavior (isotope means "same type") but with different masses. Carbon is composed of three different isotopes, 14C, 13C and 12C. 12C is the most common. 13C is about 1% of the total. 14C accounts for only about 1 in 1 trillion carbon atoms.
CO2 produced from burning fossil fuels or burning forests has quite a different isotopic composition from CO2 in the atmosphere. This is because plants have a preference for the lighter isotopes (12C vs. 13C); thus they have lower 13C/12C ratios. Since fossil fuels are ultimately derived from ancient plants, plants and fossil fuels all have roughly the same 13C/12C ratio - about 2% lower than that of the atmosphere. As CO2 from these materials is released into, and mixes with, the atmosphere, the average 13C/12C ratio of the atmosphere decreases
