| A | B |
|---|
| air pollution | when substances that can cause harm to living things ends up in the air |
| primary pollutant | a pollutant that is put directly into the air by human activity |
| secondary pollutant | when a primary pollutant comes in contact with other primary pollutants or even with naturally occuring substances like water vapor, and a chemical reaction takes place |
| thermal inversion | the air above is warmer than the air below |
| smog | when air pollution hangs over urban areas and reduces visibility |
| sick-biulding syndrome | biuldings with particulary poor air quality |
| Radon Gas | a gas that is invisible, odorless, and tasteless, and it is radioactive; deadly |
| Asbestos | combination of several fibers that contain silica and are valued for their stregnth and resistance to heat |
| acid precipitation | highly acidic precipitation that results from the burning of fossil fuels |
| acid shock | sudden influx of acidic water |
| chronic bronchitis | persistant inflamation of the bronchial linings |
| asthma | condition in which the bronchial passages constrict and become blocked with mucus |
| emphysema | when air sacs in the lungs lose their elasticity and can no longer push air out of the lungs |
| lung cancer | respiratory disease linked to air pollution |
| particulates | soot, ash, smoke, dust, lead, and other particles from burning fuel |
| ozone | form of oxygen with molecules made of three oxygen atoms |
| sulfur dioxide | shemical interactions between sulfur and oxygen ; contributes to acid rain |
| nitrogen oxides | nitrogen and oxygen combine to form nitrogen oxides; comes from burning fuels |
| volatile organic compounds | organic chemicals that vaporize readily producing toxic fumes |
| car exhaust | a major source of nitrogen oxides ; each car releases 5 tons of carbon dioxide a year |
