ENVS Chapter 18 – Flashcards
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Photochemical smog is formed when primary pollutants interact with ____.
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sunlight
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The Asian Brown Cloud is a(n) ____.
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large thick cloud of dust, smoke, and toxic metals in the troposphere
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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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Radon-222 is a colorless, odorless gas that forms ____.
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from underground rock and mineral deposits of uranium, shale, and granite
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It would be ineffective to prevent lead poisoning by ____.
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banning the use of lead pencils in schools
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Human inputs of outdoor air pollutants occur mostly ____.
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in urban areas
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What is the correct sequence of layers of the atmosphere from innermost to outermost?
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troposphere-stratosphere-mesosphere-thermosphere
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Which statement about indoor air pollution in the United States is false?
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Outdoor air pollution has a higher cancer risk than indoor air pollution.
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According to a 2012 EPA report, between 1980 and 2010, the combined emissions of six major air pollutants decreased by how much?
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63%
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If 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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Ozone depletion is caused by ____.
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CFCs in the statosphere
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The UV filtering effect of the ozone layer is beneficial because it ____.
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allows humans and other forms of life to exist on land
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People are exposed to lead via ____.
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peeling paint and dust in older homes
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Which statement about acid deposition is false?
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Low pH increases plant nutrients in forest soils.
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How many people in the United States die each year from air pollution-related reasons?
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150,000 to 350,000
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Which action would be an ineffective 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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the world's most serious air pollution problem
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According to environmental scientists, U.S. air pollution control laws would be weakened if ____.
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controls on petroleum refineries were relaxed
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The period from 1980 and 2010 witnessed an increase in which pollutant?
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carbon dioxide (CO2)
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Acid deposition is best classified as a(n) ____.
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regional problem
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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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Exposure to indoor formaldehyde pollution is least likely to cause ____.
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ulcers
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What term refers to harmful chemicals emitted directly into the air from natural processes and human activities?
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primary pollutants
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In the United States, the highest levels of air pollution from fine particles are found in ____.
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West Virginia
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Burning coal will produce pollutants such as ____.
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carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and soot
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Outdoor air pollution is increased when ____.
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temperature inversions form over cities surrounded by mountains
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Sick Building Syndrome is not correlated with ____.
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lung cancer
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About 90% of radon related lung cancers in the United States occur among ____.
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current or former smokers
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Chlorofluorocarbon (CFCs) molecules can stay in the stratosphere for ____.
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65-385 years
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The biggest air pollution threat to poor people is ____.
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indoor air pollution
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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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Radioactive ____ is a product of uranium decay.
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radon
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The Asian Brown Cloud is approximately the size of ____.
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the Continental U.S.
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Outdoor air pollution is reduced when ____.
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chemical reactions form acid precipitation which falls out of the atmosphere
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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 stratosphere ____.
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contain the ozone layer
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Most of earth's climate occurs in the ____.
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troposphere
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Major air pollutants include ____.
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nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and dioxide, sulfur compounds, VOCs, and suspended particulate matter
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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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The chemical that causes most people in developed countries the most difficulty is ____.
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formaldehyde
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Dry deposition occurs when ____.
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acidic particulates reach the ground
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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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Sixteen of the world's twenty most polluted cities are found in ____.
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China
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According to the EPA, what are the four most dangerous indoor air pollutants?
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tobacco smoke, formaldehyde, radon-222, and ultrafine particles
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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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Before the 1980s, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were primarily used as ____.
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coolants in air conditioners and propellants in aerosol cans
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What do all volatile organic compounds have in common?
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All are gasses in the atmosphere
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Which statement about ozone thinning is true?
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Ozone levels fluctuate seasonally, with the lowest levels occurring in September and October.
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The grasshopper effect is a result of ____.
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air pollutants being transferred from warmer areas to polar areas by evaporation and wind
