LIVING WITH THE EARTH
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Nitrogen (N) represents how much of the air surrounding the planet?
2. There are _____ tons of air surrounding the planet.
3. More than 99% of the energy from the sun is within the spectral range of ___ to ____ nanometers.
4. Which of the following inversions is short-lived?
5. Which of the following is not a primary pollutant?
6. Most automobiles emit up to ___% less pollutants now than in 1960.
7. Under the CAAA of 1990 an allowance is the right to emit how much sulfur dioxide?
8. Particulates may cause which of the following health hazards to humans:
9. Carbon monoxide may produce ______ as one of the symptoms of exposure in humans:
10. Tropospheric ozone may cause which of the following the following welfare effects:
11. Fine particulates from motor vehicles and power plants are reported to kill about _____ Americans annually.
12. _____ may be the primary health problem when a person's bronchial tubes respond to allergens, pollution, etc. resulting in hyperactive airways.
13. Signs of an extended asthma attack may include:
14. Most adult people spend an average of ____% of their time indoors.
15. Which is a potential source of indoor air pollution?
16. A smoker is exposed to nearly ____ compounds in main stream cigarette smoke.
17. Building related ilnesses (BRI) refers to:
18. Biological contaminants are most likely aggravated by what problem?
19. Air that drawn into the home by cracks in the foundation is known as:
20. When considering the contribution of all greenhouse gases, carbon monoxide contributes approximately ____% to global warming?
*********************************
TRUE AND FALSE
1. An inversion is a stable, slow-moving air mass that results from the formation of a cool layer of air above warmer air near the earth.
T______ F______ False, pg. 10-2.
2. Global warming can be attributed to greenhouse gases.
T______ F______ True, pg. 10-3.
3. Ozone depletion has been linked to Chlorofluorocarbons.
T______ F______True, pg. 10-3.
4. There are traces of helium found in the atmosphere.
T______ F______True, pg. 10-4.
5. The combined reflective ability of cloud cover and ground surfaces are known as inversions.
T______ F______ False, pg. 10-6.
6.The troposphere is the layer of air in the 20-40 Km altitude range.
T______ F______ False, pg. 10-8.
7. Ozone is a primary pollutant.
T______ F______ False, pg. 10-17.
8. The amount of nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere has decreased in the last 20 years.
T______ F______ False, pg. 10-31.
9. Lead has been reduced by 98% in ambient concentrations from 1970.
T______ F______ True, pg. 10-31.
10. An oxidant is a substance that removes hydrogen from a compound.
T______ F______ True, pg. 10-34.
11. Carbon monoxide is a gray colored gas with an odor like rotten eggs.
T______ F______ False, pg. 10-36.
12. Nasal hairs play a part in cleaning air before it reaches the lungs.
T______ F______ True, pg. 10-41.
13. The beginning signs of an asthma attack include sweating and rapid pulse.
T______ F______ False, pg. 10-42.
14. During an airway spasm, the muscles of the alveoli contract and the membranes swell.
T______ F______ False, pg. 10-42.
15. There is a phenomenon called sick building syndrome.
T______ F______ True, pg. 10-46.
16. Cat saliva is considered to be a biological contaminant.
T______ F______ True, pg. 10-49.
17. The number of asthma cases since 1982 have decreased.
T______ F______ False, pg. 10-41.
18. The New England area is considered to be an acid-sensitive region.
T______ F______ True, pg. 10-38.
19. The Kyoto conference in 1997 suggested that the United States decrease greenhouse gas emissions 7% below 1990 levels.
T______ F______ True, pg. 10-25.
20. Acid deposition is a threat to aquatic ecosystems because it leads to reductions in fish populations.
T______ F______ True pg. 10-39.
*************************************
ESSAY AND SHORT ANSWER
1. Briefly describe the greenhouse effect.
Heat energy (infrared) reflected from the earth may be absorbed by infrared-absorbing gases such as carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), methane, and water vapor. Such gasses then trap the warmth and reflect it back to the Earth's atmosphere in a process known as the greenhouse effect If the greenhouse gases increase in concentration, it is logical that more heat energy will be absorbed and the average annual global temperature may rise causing a global warming trend. This is the focus of world attention. (Answer: pg. 10-7)
2. Describe what happens during an asthma attack.
The beginning signs of an attack include wheezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing. As the problem persists, the airways begin to spasm. During a spasm, the muscles in the bronchi and bronchioles contract and membranes swell. Mucus forms in the airways and this narrowing of the airway makes it difficult to breath. With an extended attack, the person sweats, the pulse becomes rapid, the skin truns blue, and the arms and legs become chilled or cold. ( Answer: pg. 10-41)
3. Describe the nature of a subsidence inversion.
Subsidence refers to the descent of air masses. Cool air masses (anticyclones) associated with Hadley cells descend causing air molecules to compress in a layer above the ground. This layer becomes warmed by compression while the air at ground level remains unchanged and often cooler than the air above, producing an inversion layer at distances of 500 to 1000 meters above the ground. Such inversions may occur frequently along coastal areas such as California which has documented inversions more than 300 days of the year. Such subsidence inversions occur most often during the fall and winter months and are particularly troublesome since they may persist for days and permit the build up of potentially dangerous levels of pollution. (Answer: pg. 10-13)
4. Discuss the impact if acid rain on plant life.
The causal role of acid deposition in the decline of forested areas in North America, Germany, and Central Europe has been a matter of considerable investigation and debate. Acidic deposition at levels of pH 4.0 to 5.0, which are most common, do not appear to cause widespread adverse effects on forest ecosystems. However, conifer forests such as Red Spruce on mountain tops in New Hampshire, Vermont and in the Appalachians have been more than 80 percent decimated at the cloud line. Severe damage is also evidenced in Central Europe in such places as the Czech Republic and Poland where 60 to 70 percent of forests show evidence of damage associated with sulfur and nitrogen disposition. The mechanisms for such destruction are not immediately obvious but may be attributed to combinations of ozone and acid clouds (as low as pH 2.2) which: (1) directly damage leaves; (2) mobilize toxic metals in soil such as aluminum, which adversely effect roots; (3) leachnutrients from soil; and (4) over-stimulate plants from excess nitrates which aggravate deficiencies of other nutrients. These factors may combine to increase forest susceptibility to insect and fungal pathogens. (Answer: pg. 10-39)
5. List some of the indicators of indoor air pollution.
Signs of indoor air pollution may include physical or health signs or both. Physical symptoms may include: (1) heating or cooling equipment that is dirty and/or moldy; (2) moisture condensation on walls and windows; (3) air that has a stuffy or has an unpleasant odor; and (4) signs of water leakage anywhere in the building with the growth of molds. Health indicators of indoor air pollution may include immediate or acute effects such as eye irritation, dry throat, headaches, fatigue, sinus congestion, shortness of breath, cough dizziness, nausea, sneezing, and nose irritation. These symptoms are vague and may originate from many sources. (Answer: pg. 10-45)