C) carbon dioxide; nitrogen monoxide
D) sulfur dioxide; nitrogen monoxide
69) Which one of the following is NOT a property of radon?
A) unreactive
B) tasteless
C) odorless
D) nonradioactive
70) The ultimate source of radon in the environment is from the radioactive decay of naturally occurring
A) uranium.
B) xenon.
C) thorium.
D) polonium.
71) Radon is released from soil and rock where it is produced because radon is a
A) gas.
B) liquid.
C) solid.
D) plasma.
72) Indoor “air cleaners” are often advertised. However, some air cleaners actually generate which of the
following pollutants?
A) mold
B) CFCs
C) methane
D) ozone
73) All of the following contribute to increasing indoor air pollution levels EXCEPT
A) gas kitchen stoves.
B) mold.
C) improving insulation and sealing air leaks around windows and doors.
D) All of the above contribute to increasing indoor air pollution.
74) Children exposed to secondhand smoke have a higher risk of all of the following EXCEPT
A) bronchitis.
B) sinus infections.
C) sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
D) All of the above risks are higher.
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75) Liquid crystal display (LCD) monitors have largely replaced cathode ray tube (CRT) display monitors
for televisions and computers. Which of the following is a problem that results from use of LCD
monitors?
A) The LCD monitors need to be shielded with lead, and lead is a toxic metal.
B) Large amounts of nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) are used in production of LCDs, and much of it is released
to the atmosphere. NF3 is a greenhouse gas that is much more efficient at trapping atmospheric heat than
other greenhouse gases, such as CO2.
C) LCD monitors use less energy than CRT monitors do.
D) Manufacturing of LCD monitors releases much more CO2 into the atmosphere than manufacturing of
CRT monitors did.
76) Which of the following gases is most efficient at trapping atmospheric heat?
A) carbon dioxide (CO2)
B) nitrogen trifluoride (NF3)
C) water (H2O)
D) methane (CH4)
77) In terms of reactivity, ozone is best classified as
A) very reactive.
B) somewhat reactive.
C) unreactive.
D) similar to He.
78) Ozone (O3) and oxygen (O2) are
A) allotropes.
B) similar in reactivity.
C) isomers.
D) liquids at room temperature.
79) Ozone is a very strong
A) acid.
B) base.
C) oxidizing agent.
D) reducing agent.
80) In the troposphere, the reactivity of CFCs is
A) low.
B) moderate.
C) high.
D) comparable to neon.
81) In the stratosphere, the reactivity of CFCs is
A) low.
B) moderate.
C) high.
D) comparable to neon.
82) The impact of CFCs on the ozone layer is amplified by the fact that
A) CFCs replicate in the stratosphere.
B) CFCs decompose before reaching the stratosphere.
C) CFCs react with oxygen to produce many reactive intermediates.
D) one CFC molecule will lead to the decomposition of many ozone molecules.
83) Even if all CFC production could be stopped today, the ozone depletion problem in the stratosphere
would continue for many years because
A) some nations would not follow the ban.
B) CFCs are produced naturally in the troposphere.
C) CFCs are widespread and very stable in the troposphere.
D) ozone is naturally depleted by sunlight.
84) UV light is used to
A) sterilize tools in hair salons.
B) cook food.
C) melt ice.
D) melt metal.
85) The ozone layer over Antarctica is its largest in
A) September.
B) January.
C) May.
D) October.
86) All of the following gases come in part from natural sources EXCEPT
A) carbon dioxide.
B) chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
C) sulfur dioxide.
D) hydrocarbons.
87) Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are good substitutes for
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) because
A) they are also greenhouse gases.
B) C-F bonds will react more easily with hydroxyl radicals, so they are broken down before they reach the
stratosphere.
C) C-H bonds will react more easily with hydroxyl radicals, so they are broken down before they reach
the stratosphere.
D) they are too heavy to reach the stratosphere.
88) Which is classified as a “greenhouse gas”?
A) helium
B) oxygen
C) iodine
D) nitrous oxide
89) Without the greenhouse effect,
A) the Earth would be much colder.
B) no precipitation would fall.
C) there would be no change of season.
D) more earthquakes would occur.
90) Increasing the atmospheric concentration of which of the following gases would contribute to global
warming?
A) carbon dioxide
B) CFCs
C) methane
D) All of the above would contribute to global warming.
91) Which of the following greenhouse gases is most efficient at trapping heat?
A) CFCs
B) CH4
C) CO2
D) H2O
92) The process for removing CO2 from the atmosphere or collecting it from large emission sources and
storing it in underground reservoirs is known as
A) carbonation.
B) carbon sequestration.
C) climate change.
D) greenhouse control.
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93) Which of the following activities would NOT lower the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere?
A) building coal-fired power plants
B) concentrating emitted CO2 in large underground reservoirs
C) planting trees
D) stopping deforestation
94) The major source of all air pollutants in the United States is
A) industrial emissions.
B) residential emissions.
C) motor vehicle emissions.
D) natural sources.
95) The World Health Organization (WHO) rates which pollutant the worst?
A) methane
B) chlorocarbons
C) sulfur dioxide
D) sulfur oxides
96) Which of the following pollutants has the least environmental effect?
A) carbon monoxide
B) nitrogen oxides
C) ozone
D) sulfur oxides
97) In the removal of pollution, the most expensive fraction of pollution to remove is the
A) first fraction.
B) middle fractions.
C) last fraction.
D) The cost is constant across all fractions removed.
98) The EPA lists six criteria pollutants. Which of the following is NOT listed by the EPA as a criteria
pollutant?
A) nitrogen dioxide
B) sulfur dioxide
C) hydrocarbons
D) lead
13.2 True/False Questions
1) The layer of the atmosphere in which we interact is called the stratosphere.
2) The World Health Organization estimates that over 3.0 million people die from indoor or outdoor air
pollution every year.
3) Nitrogen can be fixed by lightning.
4) One of the steps in the nitrogen cycle produces nitrogen dioxide.
5) Pollution levels are not affected by temperature inversions.
6) Air pollution is primarily the result of human activity.
7) Air pollution was never a problem prior to 500 A.D.
8) The smog in the Los Angeles basin has no effect on vegetation 130 miles away.
9) Air pollution is a worldwide problem today.
10) It is easier to remove sulfur dioxide than particulate matter from smokestack gases.
11) Sulfuric acid is less irritating to the respiratory system than sulfur dioxide is.
12) Fine particulate particles (< 2.5 µm diameter) are more harmful to people than larger particles (>10
µm diameter) are.
13) All except the most severe cases of CO poisoning are reversible.
14) Low level carbon monoxide exposure over a long period of time places stress on the heart.
15) Most of the carbon monoxide found in the atmosphere does not come from natural sources.
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16) Sunlight breaks down nitrogen dioxide into nitric oxide and oxygen atoms.
17) Gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles are significantly more efficient than conventional gasoline vehicles.
18) It is easier to lower the emission of nitrogen oxides from cars than it is to lower the emission of carbon
monoxide and hydrocarbons.
19) Photochemical smog is more likely to occur in cold and wet conditions.
20) Nanoscale catalysts show great promise for making chemical processes more efficient and thus saving
resources.
21) Acid rain slowly erodes marble statues because sulfuric acid will react with the calcium carbonate in
marble.
22) The concentration of air pollutants is almost always lower indoors than outdoors.
23) According to the EPA, second-hand smoke is a Class A carcinogen.
24) Indoor pollution can come from gas ranges.
25) Fluorine (F2) has been proposed as an alternative to nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) for the manufacturing
of liquid crystal display (LCD) monitors. This is a good idea, because both compounds are safe for
people.
26) CFCs are inert in the troposphere and reactive in the stratosphere.
27) A single CFC molecule will result in the destruction of a single O3 molecule.
28) The greenhouse effect occurs because greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, absorb infrared
energy and prevent heat from escaping into space.
29) Carbon sequestration involves the removal of CO2 from the atmosphere and its subsequent storage in
underground reservoirs.
30) One of the effects of increased levels of CO2 in the atmosphere is that the acidity of oceans will
decrease.
31) It is cost effective to try to eliminate all air pollution.
32) Since 1980, the concentration of the six EPA criteria air pollutants has increased significantly.
13.3 Short Answer Questions
1) Carbon monoxide blocks the ability of ________ to bind and transport ________.
2) The only symptom of carbon monoxide poisoning is usually ________.
3) Los Angeles smog is more commonly referred to as ________ smog.
4) What are the major industrial sources of acid rain?
13.4 Essay Questions
1) Sketch a diagram that illustrates the major parts of the atmosphere.
2) Describe the nitrogen cycle. Use specific examples to illustrate the cycle.
3) Describe the oxygen cycle. Use specific examples to illustrate the cyclic nature of the cycle.
4) Describe one method for the removal of particulates from smokestack gases.
5) Compare and contrast London smog and Los Angeles smog.
6) Discuss how oxygen atoms promote the formation of a variety of substances in smog.
7) What crucial role does sunlight play in photochemical smog?
8) Lowering the temperature of an automobile engine or using a richer fuel mixture reduces the amount
of nitrogen oxides in the exhaust. What are the tradeoffs of this approach to reduction of nitrogen oxides?
9) What factors would you need to include in a complete evaluation of the environmental cost of a
gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle?
10) List three sources of indoor pollution.
11) Explain how ozone can be both an air pollutant and a necessary component in the earth’s atmosphere.
12) What is the “greenhouse effect”?