ENV 101 Chapter Notes - Chapter 13: Volatile Organic Compound, Tropospheric Ozone, Sulfur Dioxide
Document Summary
Chapter 13: atmospheric science, air quality, and pollution control. The atmosphere: atmosphere layer of gases that envelops our planet, consists of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% argon, and 1% other gases. Inversion layer band of air in which temperature rises with altitude: vertical mixing lets pollutants in the air be carried upward and diluted; thermal inversions trap pollutants near the ground. Some pollution is from natural sources: fires burning vegetation, volcanic eruptions and ash, windblown dust, etc, farming/grazing practices, suppression of fire, etc. The clean air act addresses pollution: clean air act (1963; 1970; 1990) nationwide standards for emissions and for concentrations of major pollutants in ambient air. Ozone depletion: ozone-depleting substances airborne chemicals that destroy ozone molecules and thin the ozone layer in the stratosphere. Synthetic chemicals deplete ozone: halocarbons human-made compounds derived from simple hydrocarbons, chlorofluorocarbons (cfcs) type of halocarbon consisting of only chlorine, fluorine, carbon, and hydrogen, can linger in the stratosphere for a century or more.
