Pollution

• What pollutant is caused by nitrogen and where and how is it caused?

  • forms NOx in the engine due to high temperature and reacts with water to form nitric acid to cause acid rain and photochemical smog
• What pollutant does sulfur form and where and how does it form?

  • SO2 Produced by sulphur impurities in fuel when burnt
  • Reacts further with oxygen and water to form H2SO4 which causes sulfuric acid rain
• How are and what pollutants removed in engines?

  via a catalytic converter which converts them into less harmful compounds

  
  

  • CO
  • NOx
  • unburnt hydrocarbons

  
  

  2 NO (g)+2 CO (g) → N2 (g)+2 CO2 (g)2

  unburnt hydrocarbons + oxygen -> CO2 + H2O
• What metals make up the catalytic converter and why does it have its shape?

  Platinum, palladium, and rhodium. Honeycomb shape maximizes surface area for reactions.
• CFC's are banned as they breakdown and produce chlorine radicals which catalyses the break down of ozone
• Reaction for the breakdown of ozone

  Cl' + O3 -> OCl' + O2

  OCl' +O3 -> Cl' + 2O2