Transcript Unit 3: The Atmosphere

Unit 3: The Atmosphere
Lesson 4: Human Impact on the
Atmosphere
Why is the Atmosphere Important?
• What are the three reasons that the
atmosphere is so important?
Why is the Atmosphere Important?
• What are the three reasons that the
atmosphere is so important?
– It provides gases that organisms need to survive
– It absorbs harmful radiation
– It keeps Earth warm
It provides gases that organisms need
to survive
• The atmosphere provides ______________
for humans
• It also provides ______________
______________ for plants
It absorbs harmful radiation
• The ______________ _____________ in the
stratosphere absorbs ultraviolet radiation
from the sun
• Without this, high energy radiation would
negatively impact life on Earth
It keeps Earth warm
• Without the atmosphere, temperatures on
Earth would be too cold for organisms to exist
• However, thanks to the _______________
_________________, gases in the atmosphere
absorb and radiate thermal energy
• Two examples of these gases are
____________ ___________ and oxygen
• These gases act as a ____________ for the
Earth
What is air pollution?
• Please define air pollution.
What is air pollution?
• Please define air pollution.
– the contamination of the atmosphere by
pollutants from human and natural sources
What is air pollution?
• Natural pollutants include: _____________
________________, _______________, and
______________ ________________
• Human pollutants come from burning of
____________ ___________, oil refineries,
chemical manufacturing plants, dry-cleaning
businesses, and auto repair shops
What is air pollution
• Scientists classify pollutants into what two
types?
What is air pollution
• Scientists classify pollutants into what two
types?
– Gases
– Particulates
Gases
• What are some examples of gas pollutants?
Gases
• What are some examples of gas pollutants?
– Carbon monoxide
– Sulfur dioxide
– Nitrogen oxide
– Ground-level ozone
Gases
• But wait!! Haven’t we learned ozone is good?
What determines whether it is helpful or
harmful?
Gases
• But wait!! Haven’t we learned ozone is good?
What determines whether it is helpful or
harmful?
– LOCATION!!
– Ozone in the stratosphere is helpful because it
protects us from ultraviolet radiation
– In the troposphere, it is harmful to breathe
Particulates
• What is a particulate?
Particulates
• What is a particulate?
– A tiny particle of solid that is suspended in air or
water
– _____________, ____________, and
______________ are common particulate
pollutants
Pollutants formed from vehicle
exhaust
• What are two pollutants that form from
vehicle exhaust?
Pollutants formed from vehicle
exhaust
• What are two pollutants that form from
vehicle exhaust?
– Ground-level ozone
– Smog
Ground-level Ozone
• How is ground level ozone formed?
Ground-level Ozone
• How is ground level ozone formed?
– It forms when sunlight reacts with vehicle exhaust
and oxygen in the air
– Ozone can be damaging to people’s
______________
Smog
• What is smog?
Smog
• What is smog?
– air pollution that forms when ozone and vehicle
exhaust react in the presence of sunlight
Smog
• Why is smog a problem in large cities?
• What can it cause?
Smog
• Why is smog a problem in large cities?
– There are more vehicles on the road
• What can it cause?
– Lung damage
– Irritated eyes and nose
Smog
• In some cities, enough smog will appear as a
________________ _______________ over
the city
Acid Precipitation
• What is acid precipitation?
Acid Precipitation
• What is acid precipitation?
– Precipitation such as rain, sleet, or snow that
contains acids from air pollution
Acid Precipitation
• How does acid rain form?
Acid Precipitation
• How does acid rain form?
– Sulfur and nitrogen oxides are released into the air
from the burning of fossil fuels
– The gases mix with water to form sulfuric acid and
nitric acid
– These gases in the air can then fall with
precipitation and harm the environment
Effects of acid precipitation
• What can acid precipitation cause?
– Can cause soil and water to become too acidic,
dissolving nutrients plants need to survive
– Can increase acidity of lakes and streams, harming
organisms that live within them
– Can erode stonework on buildings and statues
Measures of Air Quality
• What is air quality?
Measures of Air Quality
• What is air quality?
– a measure of pollutants in the air that is used to
express how clean or polluted the air is
Air Quality Index
• The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a number used
to describe the air quality of a location
• The ____________ the AQI number, the more
likely people are to have health problems due
to air pollution
Cities vs. Rural Areas
• Why is air quality often poorer in cities than in
rural areas?
Cities vs. Rural Areas
• Why is air quality often poorer in cities than in
rural areas?
– There are more people and cars in cities, so there
is more exhaust to cause smog.
– There might be a lack of wind that causes
pollution to build up.
– There are generally less plants, so carbon dioxide
and heat build up.
– There are more businesses that may be releasing
chemical pollutants into the air.
Indoor Air Pollution
• As air within a building is stagnant, inside air
can become more polluted than outside air
• What are sources of indoor air pollution?
Indoor Air Pollution
• As air within a building is stagnant, inside air
can become more polluted than outside air
• What are sources of indoor air pollution?
– Chlorine and ammonia from household cleaners
– Formaldehyde from furniture
– Chemicals from paints and glues
– Radon
How can air quality affect health?
• Short-term effects
How can air quality affect health?
• Short-term effects
– Coughing
– Headache
– Wheezing
How can air quality affect health?
• Long-term effects
How can air quality affect health?
• Long-term effects
– Lung cancer
– Emphysema
How might humans be changing
Earth’s climates?
• How could humans be changing Earth’s
climate?
How might humans be changing
Earth’s climates?
• How could humans be changing Earth’s
climate?
– Burning of fossil fuels adds carbon dioxide to the
atmosphere
– Since carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, adding
more to the atmosphere will caused increased
absorption and re-radiation of heat
– This could cause global temperatures to rise
Predicted effects of climate change
• What do scientists believe could result from
climate change?
Predicted effects of climate change
• What do scientists believe could result from
climate change?
– Melting of glaciers and Arctic sea ice
– Changes in rainfall patterns, rising seas, more
severe storms
– Drought in some regions with increases
precipitation in others
Air pollution and the ozone layer
• Chemicals called _______________________
(CFCs) break ozone into ___________________
which does not protect from ultraviolet
radiation
• CFCs have been banned, but they can stay in
the atmosphere for approximately _________
years
• However, studies have shown that since the
banning of CFCs, ozone depletion has slowed