| A | B |
|---|
| air pollution | harmful substances that build in the air to unhealthy levels |
| Primary Pollutants | pollutants put directly into the air by humans |
| Secondary Pollutants | form when primary pollutants react with other primary pollutants or other natural substances (ground-level ozone) |
| Carbon Monoxide | odorless, colorless gas made from emissions and fossils fuel burning |
| Sulfur Dioxides | produced from chemical interactions between sulfur and oxygen and contributes to acid precipitation |
| VOCs | organic compounds that form toxic fumes and can create smog |
| Particulate matter | tiny particles of solid or liquid matter that causes respiratory problems and reduces visibility |
| Nitrogen Oxides | when combustion combines nitrogen and oxygen this is created and the body's immune system is compromised |
| catalytic converter | this element of new exhaust ystems transforms harmful emissions into less harmful substances by trapping the gases internally |
| temperature inversion | when a warm air pocket is above a cooler air system creating trapped pollutants |
| sick-building syndrome | very poor air quality leads to this condition inside |
| asbestos | fiborous insulation that has been linked to cancer and is being removed all over the country |
| radon gas | odorless colorless gas that is radioactive and can seep through cracks in walls, breathed in and can created a host of problems including genetic damage |
| acid precipitation | rain. sleet, or snow containing high amounts of acidic material |
| pH | measurement of how acidic or basic a substance is |
| acid shock | a sudden influx of acid causing a rapid change in the water's pH system |
| climate | long term prevailing weather conditions for an area |
| latitude | distance in degrees north or south of the equator |
| El Nino | warm water is pushed eastward and an increase in rainfall is recieved in the Southern US |
| La Nina | cooler waters are pushed into east Pacific and less rain falls in the southern US |
| CFCs | Chloroflourocarbons, human made chemicals that damage the ozone layer |
| greenhouse gases | gases that absorb and radiate heat |
| global warming | the former name for today's 'climate change' model illustrating a rise in overall global temperatures |
| Kyoto Protocol | required all nations to reduce their emmissions of greenhouse gases in an effort to slow global climate changes and George W Bush wouldn't sign it |
