Unit 10 Study Guide: Air Pollution and Climate Change

To help prepare for the upcoming unit exam make sure you study all of the following concepts. You
will be asked to be able to define key terms. You will also be asked to apply your knowledge to
scenarios and questions that require you to analyze and interpret.

Chapter 17: Air and Air Pollution

1. Know each layer of the atmosphere and how they are separated
2. Inversions
a. How do they work; Where are they usually found?
b. What issues do cities face if they are located in an area with an inversion?
3. Draw a Hadley cell and describe how the air flows.
4. Understand how a Hadley Cell works; Understand the Coriolis Effect and its importance.
5. What is the difference between a primary and a secondary air pollutant?
6. Know the following air pollutants, where they come from, why they are hazardous, and if they
are primary or secondary air pollutants/criteria air pollutants
a. Tropospheric ozone
b. Carbon monoxide
c. Sulfur dioxide
d. Nitrous oxides (NOx)
e. Lead
f. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
g. Particulate matter
7. Industrial smog
a. How is it formed?
b. What is it made of?
c. What are the environmental and/or human health consequences?
d. How can we reduce it?
8. Photochemical smog/Tropospheric ozone production
a. How is it formed? Understand the chemical reactions that lead to ozone formation.
b. What time of day and/or time of year is it worst? Why?
c. What is it made of?
d. What are the environmental and/or human health consequences?
e. How can we reduce it?
9. Ozone layer/Depletion of stratospheric ozone
a. Where does it exist?
b. What does it do? What are the normal chemical reactions in a functioning ozone layer?
c. What is degrading it? What are the specific chemicals involved?
d. How do we save it?
10. Acid deposition
a. What is it? What are the specific chemical reactions involved.
b. Why is it a problem? Make a list of several effects on plants.
c. How do we mitigate its effects? What essential legistation was passed in the US?
11. Indoor air pollution
a. Common indoor air pollutants and their sources (tobacco, asbestos, smoke, radon, mold)
b. Health hazards
 12. Mitigation and Legislation
a. Know the Clean Air Act of 1970 and how/why it was strengthened in 1990
b. Know the Montreal Protocol, why it was passed, how effective it was.
c. Describe the importance of catalytic converters, scrubbers, vapor recovery nozzles.
d. What other ways can we counteract the effects of air pollution?

Chapter 18: Climate Change

1. Know the following Greenhouse Gasses and where they come from
a. Carbon dioxide (CO2)
b. Methane (CH4)
c. Nitrous oxide (N2O)
d. Water vapor (H2O)
e. CFCs and HCFCs (some are more potent than others)
2. Greenhouse Effect:
a. What is it? Where does it take place?
b. How does this explain why earth global temperatures are getting warmer?
c. Draw and label a diagram to describe what is taking place.
3. What role do positive feedback loops have in global warming and climate change?
4. What are the potential impacts of global warming and climate change? List and describe at least
three in detail.
5. What is the Kyoto Protocol and why is it important?

FRQs

One of the attached FRQs will be given as the FRQ on the test. You should be familiar with each of
them! Notice that they cover material that we may have covered in previous units and chapters. It is
time for you to review ALL of your notes.