Air Pollution

• What are the products of burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas under complete combustion conditions?

  Carbon dioxide and water
• What is required for complete combustion of hydrocarbons?

  Plenty of oxygen
• What is incomplete combustion?

  Burning hydrocarbons with insufficient oxygen
• What pollutants are produced from incomplete combustion?

  Carbon monoxide and particulates
• What are particulates in the context of combustion?

  Solid particles of carbon, also known as soot
• What are the two main problems associated with inhaling particulates?

  They can damage lungs and form dark clouds or smog
• What is global dimming?

  Less sunlight reaching the Earth due to smog formation
• Why is carbon monoxide particularly dangerous?

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

  Fainting, coma, and death
• What makes carbon monoxide hard 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 at high temperatures
• Why do high temperatures often occur in internal combustion engines?

  They are necessary for nitrogen and oxygen to react
• What are the two main problems associated with sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides as pollutants?

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

  They dissolve to form dilute sulfuric and nitric acids
• What is acid rain and how does it form?

  Rain that contains dilute sulfuric or nitric acid from pollutants
• What are the effects of acid rain on buildings and plants?

  It can corrode metals and damage plants
• How does acid rain affect soil?

  It can make the soil more acidic, hindering plant growth
• What is complete combustion and its products?

  • Complete combustion occurs when hydrocarbons burn in plenty of oxygen.
  • Products:
  • Water
  • Carbon dioxide
• What is the difference between complete and incomplete combustion?

  • Complete combustion: burns with plenty of oxygen, producing water and carbon dioxide.
  • Incomplete combustion: burns with insufficient oxygen, producing carbon monoxide and particulates.
• What are the health and environmental impacts of pollutants from fossil fuel combustion?

  • Health impacts:
  • Respiratory problems from inhaling particulates and gases.
  • Environmental impacts:
  • Acid rain damaging buildings and plants.
  • Global dimming from smog.