APES Chapter 18 – Flashcards

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The Asian Brown Cloud is approximately the size of?
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Continental U.S
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Which of the following is not a part of the Asian Brown Cloud
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ozone
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Approximately how much of the toxic mercury in the skies above Los Angeles, California can be traced to the Asian Brown Cloud?
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33%
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The correct sequence of layers of the atmosphere from innermost to outermost is
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troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere
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The atmosphere is divided into spherical layers based upon the
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temperature changes from variations in absorption of solar energy
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The atmospheric layer containing 75% of the mass of earth's air is the
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troposphere
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Approximately how much of the air we breathe is composed of nitrogen and oxygen?
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99%
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f the earth were an apple, the lower layer of the atmosphere would be the thickness of
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the skin
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Most of earth's climate occurs in the
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troposphere
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Most of the ozone layer is found in which of the following?
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stratosphere
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The stratosphere differs from the troposphere because it contains
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1/1000th the water vapor
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Which of the following is not one of the results of the UV filtering effect of the ozone layer?
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reduces the amount of water vapor in the troposphere
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Harmful chemicals emitted directly into the air from natural processes and human activities are calleda
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primary pollutants
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Human inputs of outdoor air pollutants occur mostly
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in urban areas
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The biggest air pollution threat to poor people is
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indoor air pollution
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According to the World Health Organization, one in every ____ persons lives in urban areas with air that is unhealthy to breathe.
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six
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Which of the following is not one of the major air pollutants?
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formaldehyde
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All of the following are volatile organic compounds (VOCs), except
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carbon monoxide
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What do all volatile organic compounds have in common?
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All are carbon based.
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Which of the following is not a way to prevent lead poisoning?
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ban the use of lead pencils in schools
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How many children in less-developed countries have permanent brain damage because of lead poisoning?
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15million to 18 million
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Sixteen of the world's twenty most polluted cities are found in
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China
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Photochemical smog is formed when primary pollutants interact with
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sunlight
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Photochemical smog is characteristic of urban areas with many vehicles and a climate that is
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warm, dry, and sunny
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Primary pollutants from burning coal include all of the following, except
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ozone
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Gray-air smog comes from suspended particles of
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soot
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Which of the following would not be a factor that reduces outdoor air pollution?
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Radiation from the sun converts pollutants into benign chemicals.
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Which of the following is not one of the factors that increase outdoor air pollution?
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movement of over the oceans encounter salty sea spray
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Which of the following statements is true?
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Temperature inversions make pollution problems worse.
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A temperature inversion is the result of
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a lid of warm air on top of cooler, stagnant air
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Typical precipitation in the eastern United States is how many times more acidic than natural precipitation would be?
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10 times
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Acid deposition is best classified as a(n)
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regional problem
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Which of the following is not true of acid deposition?
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low pH increases plant nutrients in forest soils
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Acidic rain, snow, fog, and cloud vapor typically has a pH of
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5.6
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How much additional reduction of SO2 emissions from coal burning power plants in Midwestern stateswill be necessary before lakes in the northeastern U.S. can recover?
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80%
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Which of the following would not be an effective preventive measure for acid deposition?
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adding lime to neutralize the acids
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The WHO and the World Bank call indoor air pollution
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world's most serious air pollution problem
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Which of the following is not true of indoor air pollution in the United States?
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outdoor air pollution has a high cancer risk than indoor air pollution
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Sick Building Syndrome is linked to all of the following, except
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lung cancer
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All of the following are on EPA's "four most dangerous indoor air pollutants list," except
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sulfur dioxide
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The chemical that causes most people in developed countries the most difficulty is
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formaldehyde
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Exposure to indoor formaldehyde pollution is least likely to cause
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ulcers
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Respiratory illnesses in developing countries are most likely to be caused by
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particulate matter
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Radioactive ____ is a product of uranium decay
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radon
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About 90% of radon related lung cancers in the US occur among
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current or former smokers
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According to the EPA, adding radon control could add how much to the cost of a new home?
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$500
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How many people in the United States die each year from air pollution related reasons?
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125,000 to 350,000
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In the United States, how many people get cancer from breathing diesel fumes from buses and trucks?
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125,000
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Large diesel trucks emit as much particulate matter as how many cars?
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150
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During the 1980 and 2008 period, decreases in emissions occurred for all of the following pollutants, except
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CO2
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According to a 2009 EPA report, between 1980 and 2008, the combined emissions of six major air pollutants decreased by how much?
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54%
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According to environmental scientists, all of the following would strengthen U.S. air pollution control laws, except
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relax controls on petroleum refineries
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Between 1990 and 2006 emissions trading systems reduced SO2 emissions by power plants in the U.S. by 53% at what cost to the industry?
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one-tenth what was expected by the industry
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Air pollution in the urban areas of many less-developed countries is
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getting worse
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T/F- Air pollution is understood as primarily a localized urban problem.
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FALSE
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T/F-As much as 33% of the toxic mercury in the skies over Los Angeles comes from coal-fired plants and other sources in China.
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TRUE
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T/F Pollution such as the Asian Brown Cloud can be cleared up fairly quickly when standards are set for coal-burning industries
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TRUE
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T/F Carbon dioxide makes up 21% of the air we breathe
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FALSE
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T/F The troposphere is about 17 kilometers thick at both the equator and at the north and south polar regions
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FALSE
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T/F The troposphere contains approximately 75-80% of the earth's air mass
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TRUE
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T/F The temperature of the earth's atmosphere increases in the stratosphere because the ozone in the stratosphere absorbs UV radiation from the sun.
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TRUE
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T/F The rising and falling air currents in the troposphere are largely responsible for the earth's short-term weather and long-term climate
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TRUE
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T/F Scientists think the South Asian Brown Clouds may be a factor in the melting of the Himalayan glaziers.
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TRUE
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T/F Because of the earth's shape, the atmosphere is thicker over the North and South Pole than at the equator
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FALSE
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T/F he ozone layer surrounding the earth is formed when molecules of oxygen in that layer are converted to ozone by UV radiation
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TRUE
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T/F Air pollutants only come from human-made sourceS
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FALSE
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T/F Air pollution is a recent phenomenon, which started when coal-burning became common in the Industrial Revolution
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FALSE
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T/F Chemicals in the atmosphere combine with one another and with natural components of air to form new, harmful chemicals, called primary pollutants.
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FALSE
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T/F Over the past 30 years, the quality of outdoor air in most developed countries has greatly improve
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TRUE
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T/F The biggest pollution threat to poor people is indoor air pollution caused by burning of wood, charcoal,coal, or dung in open fires in their houses.
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TRUE
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T/F Secondary pollutants can be classified by the source of pollution, such as stationary sources or mobile sources
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FALSE
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T/F Ninety three percent of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the result of the natural carbon cycle
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FALSE
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T/F there is considerable scientific evidence that human activities have resulted in increasing levels of CO2 and the warming of the earth's climate.
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TRUE
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T/F Methane is twenty times more effective at warming the atmosphere than is carbon dioxide
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TRUE
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T/F Between 1976 and 2006, the percentage of U.S. children, ages 15 years with blood lead levels above the safety standard increased by 85%.
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FALSE
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T/F The United States leads the world in the use of technology to detect air pollutants.
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FALSE
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T/F urban industrial smog is rarely a problem in most developed countries
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TRUE
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T/F Photochemical smog is a mixture of primary and secondary pollutants formed under the influence of UV radiation from the sun.
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TRUE
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T/F The grasshopper effect occurs when air pollutants are transported from tropical and temperate areas to the earth's polar regions by evaporation and wind.
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TRUE
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T/F Dry acid deposition occurs near the emission source, while wet deposition occurs in more distant areas.
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TRUE
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T/F Most of the world's forests and lakes are being destroyed or seriously harmed by acid deposition
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FALSE
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T/F Twelve hundred lakes in Ontario, Canada contain few, if any, fish as a result of acid deposition
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TRUE
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T/F indoor air pollution usually poses a much greater threat to human health than outdoor air pollution, even in the developed world
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TRUE
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T/F The four most dangerous indoor air pollutants in developed countries are tobacco smoke, formaldehyde, radioactive radon, and very small particles.
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TRUE
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T/F More than half of all commercial buildings in the United States exhibit the "sick building syndrome."
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FALSE
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T/F The chance of getting lung cancer from radon gas is much higher if you are a smoker or a former smoker.
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TRUE
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T/F A large diesel truck emits as much particulate matter as 150 cars, and diesel trains emit as much as 1500 car
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TRUE
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T/F Between 1990 and 2006 the cap and trade system of emissions control resulted in a reduction of SO2emissions from electric power plants by 53%, but at a cost twice what was expected by the industry
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FALSE
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Long-lived air pollutants from China, India, and the United States, can circle the entire globe in about ____________________
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2 Weeks
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One-third of the mercury in the skies above ____________________ can be traced to the air pollution made in China.
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Los Angeles, CA
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Seventy-five to eighty percent of the earth's air mass is found in the ____________________
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troposphere
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Sunlight, the production of oxides of nitrogen, and the production of volatile organic compounds must be present to develop ____________________
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photochemical smog
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Organic compounds that exist as gases in the atmosphere or that evaporate from sources on earth into the atmosphere are called ____________________
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volatile organic compounds
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A(n) ____________________ may occur during the movement of a cold front, or result from the infiltration of ocean air by a cooler onshore breeze
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temperature inversion
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London is world famous for its episodes of __________________
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industrial smog
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___________________ can result from the decomposition of organic wastes in municipal solid waste landfills as well as the raising of livestock
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methane emissions
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Natural causes of ____________________ include volcano emissions, lightning, and microbial processes
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Acid Deposition
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A(n) ____________________ neutralizes a basic or acidic substance
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buffer
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____________________ is a colorless gas used in foam insulation and can cause irritation of eyes, throat, skin, and lungs
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formaldehyde
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A French study found that ____________________ attacks increased by about 30% on smoggy days
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asthma
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Recent EPA studies suggest that each year more than ____________________ Americans get cancer from breathing soot-laden diesel fumes
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125,000
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The ____________________ may not be an efficient method of reducing emissions because it creates incentive to cheat and would have to be carefully monitored.
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cap-and-trade market approach
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The ____________________ established air pollution regulations for pollutants to be enforced by states and cities.
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Clean Air acts
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