APES 2013-2014

THE ATMOSPHERE AND AIR POLLUTION

Here are a few questions over the atmosphere and air pollution from an old AP exam.

LET’S SEE WHAT YOU KNOW

Of the following cities, which regularly experiences the worst levels of photochemical smog that is enhanced by thermal inversions?a)New York City, New Yorkb)Los Angeles, Californiac) Portland, Oregond)Atlanta, Georgiae)Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Of the following cities, which regularly experiences the worst levels of photochemical smog that is enhanced by thermal inversions?a)New York City, New Yorkb)Los Angeles, Californiac) Portland, Oregond)Atlanta, Georgiae)Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Possible effects of a warmer atmosphere include which of the following?

I. Expanded ranges of tropical diseases

II. More intense hurricanes and typhoons

III. Increased crop damage from pests and diseases

a) I onlyb)II onlyc) I and III onlyd)II and III onlye) I, II, and III

Possible effects of a warmer atmosphere include which of the following?

I. Expanded ranges of tropical diseases

II. More intense hurricanes and typhoons

III. Increased crop damage from pests and diseases

a) I onlyb)II onlyc) I and III onlyd)II and III onlye)I, II, and III

Which of the following is a greenhouse gas that is produced by domestic livestock?a)NO2

b)CH4

c)O3

d)COe)SO2

Which of the following is a greenhouse gas that is produced by domestic livestock?a)NO2

b)CH4

c)O3

d)COe)SO2

The three main anthropogenic sources of gaseous air pollutants in the United States area) Soil erosion, volcanoes, and forest

firesb) Soil erosion, volcanoes, and energy

productionc) Industry, construction, and

agricultured) Industry, transportation, and energy

productione) Industry, transportation, and

agriculture

The three main anthropogenic sources of gaseous air pollutants in the United States area) Soil erosion, volcanoes, and forest

firesb) Soil erosion, volcanoes, and energy

productionc) Industry, construction, and

agricultured)Industry, transportation, and

energy productione) Industry, transportation, and

agriculture

If Earth had no atmosphere, the mean surface temperature would be approximately -15°C. With our present atmosphere, Earth’s mean surface temperature is approximately +15°C. Which of the following is the best explanation for this difference?a) Reflection of incident solar radiation by

cloudsb) Scattering of visible radiation by aerosolsc) Absorption of ultraviolet radiation by the

ozone layerd) Absorption of infrared radiation by

atmospheric gasese) The breakdown of oxygen molecules in the

thermosphere

If Earth had no atmosphere, the mean surface temperature would be approximately -15°C. With our present atmosphere, Earth’s mean surface temperature is approximately +15°C. Which of the following is the best explanation for this difference?a) Reflection of incident solar radiation by

cloudsb) Scattering of visible radiation by aerosolsc) Absorption of ultraviolet radiation by the

ozone layerd) Absorption of infrared radiation by

atmospheric gasese) The breakdown of oxygen molecules in the

thermosphere

Ground-level ozone in most major United States cities results primarily froma)Burning coalb)Burning fuel for cookingc) Producing electric powerd)Industrial emissionse)Motor-vehicle exhaust

Ground-level ozone in most major United States cities results primarily froma)Burning coalb)Burning fuel for cookingc) Producing electric powerd)Industrial emissionse)Motor-vehicle exhaust

Which of the following is an important contributor to both global warming and ozone depletion?a) An increase in the concentration of

carbon dioxide to higher-than-preindustrial levels

b) A buildup of methane in the stratosphere to higher-than-preindustrial levels

c) An increase in the levels of ultraviolet radiation reaching Earth’s surface

d) An increase in the amount of infrared solar radiation absorbed in the troposphere

e) A release of chlorofluorocarbons to the atmosphere

Which of the following is an important contributor to both global warming and ozone depletion?a) An increase in the concentration of

carbon dioxide to higher-than-preindustrial levels

b) A buildup of methane in the stratosphere to higher-than-preindustrial levels

c) An increase in the levels of ultraviolet radiation reaching Earth’s surface

d) An increase in the amount of infrared solar radiation absorbed in the troposphere

e)A release of chlorofluorocarbons to the atmosphere

Smoke from forest fires is most likely to affect air quality over larger areas for many days whena) Smog is produced due to chemical

reactions in the atmosphereb) A persistent atmospheric inversion exists

in the regionc) Oak trees are burned, releasing terpenes

into the atmosphered) Primary, rather than secondary, forests

are burnede) Vegetation in the region is green and

burns more slowly

Smoke from forest fires is most likely to affect air quality over larger areas for many days whena) Smog is produced due to chemical

reactions in the atmosphereb) A persistent atmospheric inversion

exists in the regionc) Oak trees are burned, releasing terpenes

into the atmosphered) Primary, rather than secondary, forests

are burnede) Vegetation in the region is green and

burns more slowly

Which of the following best explains why it is predicted that ozone depletion over the poles will be at its worst between 2010 and 2019?a) Projected global warming from carbon dioxide

emissions is expected to reach a peak during those years.

b) Ozone-depleting chemicals produced before their use was banned will take that long to reach peak concentrations in the stratosphere.

c) Deforestation in tropical regions is expected to reach a peak during the second decade of the twenty-fi rst century.

d) Increased global population will lead to an increase in per capita carbon dioxide production.

e) Acid deposition will continue to increase, reaching a peak in approximately 2015.

Which of the following best explains why it is predicted that ozone depletion over the poles will be at its worst between 2010 and 2019?a) Projected global warming from carbon dioxide

emissions is expected to reach a peak during those years.

b) Ozone-depleting chemicals produced before their use was banned will take that long to reach peak concentrations in the stratosphere.

c) Deforestation in tropical regions is expected to reach a peak during the second decade of the twenty-fi rst century.

d) Increased global population will lead to an increase in per capita carbon dioxide production.

e) Acid deposition will continue to increase, reaching a peak in approximately 2015.

Which of the following actions would reduce global greenhouse emissions?a) Increasing the use of automobilesb) Decreasing the number of nuclear

power plantsc) Replacing coal-burning power plants

with wind farmsd) Converting tropical forests to rice

paddiese) Switching from hydroelectric power

generation to power generation using natural gas as the primary fuel

Which of the following actions would reduce global greenhouse emissions?a) Increasing the use of automobilesb) Decreasing the number of nuclear

power plantsc) Replacing coal-burning power

plants with wind farmsd) Converting tropical forests to rice

paddiese) Switching from hydroelectric power

generation to power generation using natural gas as the primary fuel

True statements about ozone include which of the following?

I. It is a pollutant in the troposphere.II. It filters out most of the UVC radiation in

the stratosphere.III. Most of it is formed in the stratosphere by

reaction between carbon dioxide and free oxygen atoms.

a) I onlyb) II onlyc) III onlyd) I and II onlye) I, II, and III

True statements about ozone include which of the following?

I. It is a pollutant in the troposphere.II. It filters out most of the UVC radiation in

the stratosphere.III. Most of it is formed in the stratosphere by

reaction between carbon dioxide and free oxygen atoms.

a) I onlyb) II onlyc) III onlyd) I and II onlye) I, II, and III

Which of the following human activities is most closely associated with depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer?a) Mining of coalb) Disposal of refrigerators and air

conditionersc) Heating of homes and factoriesd) Generation of electricitye) Agricultural irrigation

Which of the following human activities is most closely associated with depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer?a) Mining of coalb)Disposal of refrigerators and air

conditionersc) Heating of homes and factoriesd) Generation of electricitye) Agricultural irrigation

Which of the following shows the approximate concentration of CO2, N2, and O2 in dry air?

a)78%, <1%, 21%b)43%, <1%, 56%c) 36%, 8%, 56%d)10%, 70%, 20%e)<1%, 78%, 21%

Which of the following shows the approximate concentration of CO2, N2, and O2 in dry air?

a)78%, <1%, 21%b)43%, <1%, 56%c) 36%, 8%, 56%d)10%, 70%, 20%e)<1%, 78%, 21%

The phenomenon causing global warming occurs primarily in this region of the atmospherea)Thermosphereb)Exospherec) Troposphered)Mesospheree)Stratosphere

The phenomenon causing global warming occurs primarily in this region of the atmospherea)Thermosphereb)Exospherec)Troposphered)Mesospheree)Stratosphere

The beneficial ozone layer is in this region of the atmospherea)Thermosphereb)Exospherec) Troposphered)Mesospheree)Stratosphere

The beneficial ozone layer is in this region of the atmospherea)Thermosphereb)Exospherec) Troposphered)Mesospheree)Stratosphere

Most oxygen is found in this layer of the atmospherea)Thermosphereb)Exospherec) Troposphered)Mesospheree)Stratosphere

Most oxygen is found in this layer of the atmospherea)Thermosphereb)Exospherec)Troposphered)Mesospheree)Stratosphere

Time to write

AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

ATMOSPHERE NOTES

Troposphere: 0-11 kmTropopause: 11 kmStratosphere: 11-50 km

Main concentration of ozone layer: 15-40 kmStratopause: 50 kmMesosphere: 50-80 kmMesopause: 80 kmThermosphere: 80-500 km

You may want to color the layers. Keep your diagram neat; we’re going to use in when we take notes on atmospheric chemistry later.

ADD THE FOLLOWING LAYERS TO YOUR ATMOSPHERIC DIAGRAM

Troposphere: -55 to 20°CTropopause: -55°CStratosphere: -55 to 0°CStratopause: 0°CMesosphere: -85 to 0°C Mesopause: -85°CThermosphere: -85 to 2000°C

TEMPERATURE RANGES

Pressure is high in troposphere; as altitude increases, pressure decreases steadily. Add a line for this to your diagram.

Draw tiny buildings, people, cars, mountains, trees, planes, etc. in the troposphere. Also draw clouds in this layer (the troposphere is the layer in which weather “happens”). The troposphere also contains harmful ozone--O3, “bad ozone”.

The stratosphere contains a protective ozone layer—O3, “good ozone”.Note that “bad ozone” and “good ozone” are chemically identical. The reason that one is good and one is bad is that ozone has harmful health effects on living things. At the same time, ozone absorbs some of the sun’s incoming ultraviolet radiation, which is good because UV also has harmful health effects on living things. So ozone is “good up high, bad nearby”.

• “Shooting stars” start to burn up in the mesosphere. Draw a few shooting stars in this layer.

• Noctilucent clouds are also found in the mesosphere, far above the layer that normally contains clouds (the troposphere). Draw a noctiluence cloud in the mesosphere and label it.

• Satellites orbit earth in the thermosphere. Draw a satellite or two here. Aurora borealis and aurora australis (the Northern and Southern Lights) also take place in the thermosphere, so draw them here (multicolored lights).