Environmental Science Quiz on Pollution and Toxicity

Substances released from human activities that negatively impact air, land, and water, causing harm to the environment and living organisms.

The degree to which a substance can harm an organism.

A large dose of a substance that causes harm quickly.

Repeated exposure to small doses of a substance over time that causes harm.

The process of changing practices to reduce the amount of pollutants generated at the source.

Substances present in the air that can harm human health and the environment, even in small amounts.

Air pollutants that are directly released from a source, such as a car exhaust pipe or a factory.

Air pollutants that form in the atmosphere through chemical reactions between primary pollutants or with natural compounds.

Tiny particles suspended in the air. Their size is classified by their diameter (e.g., PM2.5 means particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers).

Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, contributing to global warming.

A harmful gas, primarily from car exhaust, that can affect blood oxygen levels.

A major component of smog, formed from reactions between pollutants like nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds.

A group of gases released from various sources, including car exhaust, industrial processes, and some natural sources.

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are caused by excessive growth of algae, often due to nutrient pollution. They can occur in both coastal and freshwater environments.

HABs in coastal areas are often caused by dinoflagellates, a type of single-celled algae.

HABs in freshwater environments are frequently caused by cyanotoxins, which are toxins produced by cyanobacteria. These toxins can be harmful to humans and animals.

Eutrophication is the excessive enrichment of water bodies with nutrients, primarily phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N). This can lead to an overgrowth of algae, impacting the ecosystem.

The Venice Lagoon experienced severe eutrophication in the 1980s due to high levels of phosphorus from river outlets. Limiting phosphorus in detergents was a significant step in reducing this pollution.

Aquifers are underground bodies of rock or sediment that hold and transmit groundwater. They are essential sources of water for many communities.

To be considered an aquifer, a geological formation must be both permeable and porous. This means it allows water to flow through it easily and it has spaces for the water to be stored.

Excessive pumping from a well can lower the water table, creating a cone of depression around the well. This can cause the well to run dry if replenishment is insufficient.

The equation used to model the dispersion of pollutants released from a point source, incorporating the effects of wind velocity, stack height, and atmospheric conditions.

The actual height of the stack plus an additional height caused by factors such as air velocity, stack diameter, and temperature difference between the stack gases and the surrounding air.

The component of the effective stack height determined by factors like stack velocity, diameter, temperature difference, and atmospheric conditions.

The velocity of the flue gas being emitted from the stack.

The diameter of the stack, which influences how much air is released and contributes to plume rise.

A former industrial site in Spain devoted to fertilizer production, contaminated by pyrite ash and heavy metals like lead, arsenic, copper, and zinc.

Polychlorinated biphenyls, a group of highly carcinogenic chemical compounds formerly used in various products, now banned due to their persistence and toxicity.

A group of synthetic chemicals used in many industrial and consumer products, known for their resistance to degradation, causing potential long-term environmental and health concerns.

A type of chemical compound containing chlorine and carbon, often referred to as organic chlorine compounds.

Relating to the ability of a substance to cause harm or damage to living organisms.

A type of pollution caused by the release of contaminants directly into the environment from human activities.

A type of pollution arising from dispersed sources, difficult to pinpoint, like runoff from agricultural fields or urban areas.

A measure of the amount of pollutant in air, expressed as the number of pollutant molecules per million or billion air molecules. Used for substances in vapor or gas phase.

The pressure exerted by a specific pollutant within a mixture of gases.

A unit of concentration in air where a substance's mass is measured per unit volume. Measured in grams, milligrams, or micrograms per cubic meter.

How much of a substance is dissolved in a specific amount of liquid, expressed as moles of solute per liter of solution.

Analogous to mass per volume in air, but in liquid. Expresses the mass of a substance in a given volume of liquid. Measured in grams, milligrams, or micrograms per liter.

The process of a substance adhering to a solid surface from a solution.

A graph that shows the relationship between the concentration of a substance in solution and the amount adsorbed onto a solid surface at a constant temperature.

The transfer of a substance from a liquid phase to a gaseous phase