40 Questions
Which type of particulate matter is considered more harmful to human health?
PM 2.5
Which source is the primary contributor to respirable particles indoors in developed countries?
Tobacco smoke
What is the typical range of particulate matter concentration in bars and waiting rooms?
Around 500 μg/m3
What fraction of PM 10 particulates are produced by wind blowing soil into the air?
A small fraction
Which population is especially at an elevated risk of mortality and morbidity due to particulate matter?
Asthmatics
What standard has the US EPA set for particulate matter in ambient air?
265 μg/m3
What type of atmospheric condition is characterized by very little vertical mixing and slow dispersion of pollutants?
Stable
In what condition does a rising air parcel become cooler and denser than its surroundings?
Sub adiabatic
What kind of lapse rate occurs when the air temperature drops more than 1°C per 100m?
Super adiabatic
Which type of inversion is associated with the subtropical anticyclone and results from the air being warmed by compression as it descends?
Elevated subsidence inversion
During which season is the elevated subsidence inversion more common?
Summer
What is the term used for the atmospheric condition where the environmental lapse rate equals the dry adiabatic lapse rate?
Neutral stability
What is a common characteristic of particulates in the fraction PM2.5?
Contain water and acid forming chemicals
In urban areas, how are PM2.5 particulates distributed compared to other air contaminants?
Evenly dispersed throughout urban regions
What makes it difficult to separate PM2.5 sulfate and ozone in urban air pollution?
Similar occurrence patterns
Which health effect is NOT associated with PM2.5, sulfate, and ozone according to recent research?
Episodes of fever
Why is it challenging to identify the predominant factor causing health effects from air pollution?
Complex interactions with other factors
What hinders the clear identification of a protective level below which the public is safe from air pollution effects?
Continuous effect from high to low levels of exposure
Why did researchers initially believe that deaths due to air pollution were not significant?
'Sick' people already close to death
What makes aromatic hydrocarbons like Benzo(a) Pyrene more hazardous compared to aliphatic hydrocarbons?
'Active' biochemical nature
'Aromatic hydrocarbons' are included among the criteria air pollutants primarily due to their role in what phenomenon?
'Photochemical smog' formation
What is the main reason behind the inclusion of 'aromatic hydrocarbons' among the criteria air pollutants?
To accelerate the formation of photochemical smog.
What is the term for the rate at which dry air cools as it rises in the atmosphere?
Dry adiabatic lapse rate
What is the primary source of lead in ambient air, according to the text?
Burning of gasoline
What is the main impact of lead exposure on children, as mentioned in the text?
Learning disabilities
What determines the degree of stability of the atmosphere, as discussed in the text?
Temperature change with altitude
What is the WHO guideline value for long-term exposure to lead in the air?
$0.5 μg/m^3 /year$
What happens to a parcel of air in the atmosphere as it rises?
It expands and cools
What is the average value of the moist adiabatic lapse rate in the troposphere?
$6°C/Km$
What determines whether air needs to be heated or cooled when compressed for delivery to an aircraft cabin?
- The temperature change during compression
Admiral Beaufort's system for measuring wind speeds was developed in which year?
1805
What does a 'moderate breeze' refer to, according to Admiral Beaufort's wind scale?
A wind between 13-18 miles per hour.
What is the term used to describe air that has physical forces making it want to remain at a certain altitude?
Stable air
In terms of atmospheric stability, what happens in an atmosphere described as super adiabatic?
Air is more buoyant
What does the negative sign in the equation for temperature change with altitude indicate?
Temperature decreases with altitude
What does the environmental lapse rate being greater than the dry adiabatic lapse rate indicate about an atmosphere?
It is unstable
What is the relationship between atmospheric stability and the ability to disperse pollutants?
Directly proportional
In which type of atmosphere does rapid vertical mixing encourage pollutant dispersal?
Unstable atmosphere
What property of air discourages the dispersion and dilution of pollutants?
Stability
What happens when a parcel of air moves downward in the atmosphere?
It compresses and cools
Learn about particulate matter in the air, also known as aerosols, and their association with health risks such as respiratory issues. Explore sources of particulate matter and the environmental standards set by the US EPA.
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