Atmospheric science and air pollution

wake up questions

• Predict one thing that we are going to tell you about in our presentation?
• How tall do you think dellisia really is?
• This last one is only for mrs.DeSantis, can i go to the bathroom?

Quick Vocab

• Atmosphere - the thin layer of gases that surround earth.
• troposphere - blankets earths surface and provides us with air.
• stratosphere - extends 7-31 mi above sea level.
• Atmospheric Pressure - measure of force per unit area made by air.
• ozone - reduces the amount of UV radiation the reaches earth surface.

But THERE'S more

• relative humidity - ratio of water vapor in air, to the max amount.
• convective circulation - warm air rises, becomes cold air, and drops.
• Hadley cells - solar radiation at the equator makes convective cells.

Air pollution
Primary Pollutants
Secondary Pollutants

5 primary pollutants

• Carbon Monoxide (CO)
• Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
• Nitrogen Dioxide (NO)
• Particular Matter 
• Lead

Pollutants Pie

carbon monoxide

• vehicles and engines account for 78% of CO emissions.
• others are indusrial processes, combustion of waste.
• And even residential wood burning

Sulfur Dioxide

• Coal Cumbustion
• Electricity Generation
• Industry work

lead

• is added to gasoline for engine improvement
• however it emits in to the air and can get into the human body...
• causing central nervous system malfunction.

Secondary Pollutants

• form from reaction of primary pollutants in the atmosphere.
• Tropospheric Ozone (O3)
• Hydrocarbons
• Nitrogen Oxides

Ozone (O3)

• can release one its 3 oxygen atoms and join reactions....
• which can cause respiratory problems & injure Tissues in the body.
• Made of Nitrogen oxides and volatile carbon chemicals and Sunlight

Atmosphere

• has 4 principal layers Troposphere
• Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere.
• Ozone is concentrated in the stratosphere.

FUn Facts 1

• Global convective cells called Hadley, Ferrel, and Polar cells.....
• create latitudinal climate zones
• Weather is short term where as climate is long term, fronts, pressure.....
• systems, and the interactions among air masses influence weather.

More Pollutants facts

• Natural sources such as windblown dust, volcanoes ect. account for most....
• atmospheric pollution but human activity can worsen some of these phenomena
• To safeguard public health, the U.S. monitors criteria pollutants.
• Clean Air Act has lowered U.S. emissions, air quality has improved.

More Atmospheric Facts

• stratospheric ozone is thinned by CFC's which allow more UV rays in
• More UV rays + Humans = Bad Stuff
• Montreal Protocol have reduced emissions of ozone depleting compounds
• Long residence time of CFC's in the atmosphere means a lag between the...
• actual restoration of stratospheric Ozone.

Acidic Deposition

• results when pollutants such as NO and SO2 react in the atmosphere to make-
• acids that are deposited on earths surface. 
• acidic deposition may occur a long distance from the source of pollution
• Water Bodies, Soils, Trees, Animals, and ecosystems all experience negative
• impacts from acidic deposition.

Indoor problems/solutions

• indoor burning of fuelwood is developing world's primary indoor air....
• pollution risk. tobacco smoke and radon are the deadliest indoor pollutant 
• Volatile organic compounds and livings organisms can pollute indoor air.
• using low toxicity building materials, keeping spaces clean, monitoring air
• quality are some steps we can take to reduce indoor gasses