Air pollution

• What are the products of burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas when they combust completely?

  Carbon dioxide and water
• What is the condition necessary for complete combustion of hydrocarbons?

  Plenty of oxygen
• What is incomplete combustion and what does it produce?

  Incomplete combustion occurs when there is not enough oxygen, producing carbon monoxide and particulates.
• What are particulates produced from burning hydrocarbons commonly referred to as?

  Soot
• What are the two main problems associated with inhaling particulates?

  They can damage lungs and contribute to the formation of smog.
• What is global dimming and how is it related to particulates?

  Global dimming is the reduction of sunlight reaching the Earth due to particulates reflecting sunlight back into space.
• Why is carbon monoxide particularly dangerous?

  It binds to hemoglobin in the blood, reducing oxygen transport.
• What are the severe health effects of carbon monoxide poisoning?

  Fainting, coma, and death due to oxygen starvation in the brain.
• What makes carbon monoxide difficult to detect?

  It is colorless and odorless.
• How is sulfur dioxide produced during combustion?

  By oxidizing sulfur impurities in hydrocarbons.
• How are nitrogen oxides formed during combustion?

  When nitrogen and oxygen from the air react together at high temperatures.
• What are the two main problems associated with sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides as pollutants?

  They can damage lungs and contribute to acid rain formation.
• What happens when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides mix with clouds?

  They dissolve to form dilute sulfuric acid or dilute nitric acid, leading to acid rain.
• What are the effects of acid rain on the environment?

  It damages buildings, statues, and plants, and can make soil more acidic.
• How can acid rain affect plant growth?

  By landing directly on plants or making the soil more acidic, hindering growth.