Atmospheric Pollution unit test
A test on this unit alone, marked as a percentage and a letter grade — for the test your class is actually sitting, rather than for May. Answer everything, then submit once: seeing the answer to question 3 before attempting question 4 makes the final percentage meaningless.
Carbon monoxide
Indoor air pollutants
Six criteria pollutants
Catalytic converter
Wet vs dry deposition
Industrial vs photochemical smog
Sulfur dioxide: sources and effects
Buffering capacity
Particulate matter
The role of NOx in ozone formation
Noise pollution
Radiation vs subsidence inversion
Short answer 1. Define or explain: Tropospheric vs stratospheric ozone
3 ptsShort answer 2. Define or explain: Radon
3 ptsShort answer 3. Define or explain: Vapor recovery nozzles
3 ptsShort answer 4. Define or explain: Scrubbers and electrostatic precipitators
3 ptsFree response
10 ptsANALYZE AN ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM AND PROPOSE A SOLUTION. There is a natural climate phenomenon in the equatorial Pacific Ocean caused by periodic fluctuations in sea surface conditions and atmospheric circulation, recurring every few years and shifting temperature and precipitation across much of the world. FIGURE 1 — Effects of changes in sea surface conditions in the equatorial Pacific: the EASTERN equatorial Pacific (off South America) is hatched as "ocean water cooler than average"; the WESTERN equatorial Pacific (around Indonesia and northern Australia) is shaded "ocean water warmer than average," with an "increased chance of precipitation" over Australia; a heavy arrow along the equator points WESTWARD, labeled "stronger than normal trade winds." FIGURE 2 — Polar jet stream and climate conditions over North America: the jet stream dips over the northern United States. Region A (Pacific Northwest) is marked "increased chance of precipitation" within a broader "cooler than average" zone across the northern U.S.; Region B (the southern U.S.) is marked "decreased chance of precipitation" within a "warmer than average" zone across the South.
A. Identify the sea surface condition for the eastern equatorial area of the Pacific Ocean illustrated in Figure 1.
B. Based on the information in Figure 1, identify the climate phenomenon associated with the sea surface conditions shown.
C. Based on the information in Figure 2, describe a difference in climate patterns between regions A and B.
D. Increases in regional precipitation can lead to increased flooding. Describe one reason why there is an increased risk of flooding in urban areas during extended periods of precipitation.
E. Propose a realistic solution a city could implement to decrease the risk of flooding in urban areas.
F. Justify the solution proposed in part E by providing an additional advantage other than a reduction in the risk of flooding.
G. Terrestrial biomes are primarily determined by temperature and precipitation patterns. Describe one difference between the climate of a temperate seasonal forest and that of a savanna.
H. Droughts can affect the frequency and severity of forest fires. Identify the ecological process that occurs following a forest fire that leaves the soil intact.
I. Describe one way burning forests contribute to atmospheric pollution.
J. Describe one sustainable forestry practice that could be used to reduce the occurrence or severity of forest fires.