Lecture 32: Particulate Matter in the Air
40 Questions
0 Views

Choose a study mode

Play Quiz
Study Flashcards
Spaced Repetition
Chat to Lesson

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

Which type of particulate matter is considered more harmful to human health?

  • PM 5
  • PM 20
  • PM 10
  • PM 2.5 (correct)

Which source is the primary contributor to respirable particles indoors in developed countries?

  • Fireplaces
  • Diesel exhaust
  • Tobacco smoke (correct)
  • Wood stoves

What is the typical range of particulate matter concentration in bars and waiting rooms?

  • Around 500 μg/m3 (correct)
  • Over 1000 μg/m3
  • Around 100 μg/m3
  • Less than 10 μg/m3

What fraction of PM 10 particulates are produced by wind blowing soil into the air?

<p>A small fraction (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which population is especially at an elevated risk of mortality and morbidity due to particulate matter?

<p>Asthmatics (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What standard has the US EPA set for particulate matter in ambient air?

<p>265 μg/m3 (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of atmospheric condition is characterized by very little vertical mixing and slow dispersion of pollutants?

<p>Stable (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In what condition does a rising air parcel become cooler and denser than its surroundings?

<p>Sub adiabatic (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What kind of lapse rate occurs when the air temperature drops more than 1°C per 100m?

<p>Super adiabatic (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which type of inversion is associated with the subtropical anticyclone and results from the air being warmed by compression as it descends?

<p>Elevated subsidence inversion (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

During which season is the elevated subsidence inversion more common?

<p>Summer (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used for the atmospheric condition where the environmental lapse rate equals the dry adiabatic lapse rate?

<p>Neutral stability (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a common characteristic of particulates in the fraction PM2.5?

<p>Contain water and acid forming chemicals (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In urban areas, how are PM2.5 particulates distributed compared to other air contaminants?

<p>Evenly dispersed throughout urban regions (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What makes it difficult to separate PM2.5 sulfate and ozone in urban air pollution?

<p>Similar occurrence patterns (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which health effect is NOT associated with PM2.5, sulfate, and ozone according to recent research?

<p>Episodes of fever (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is it challenging to identify the predominant factor causing health effects from air pollution?

<p>Complex interactions with other factors (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What hinders the clear identification of a protective level below which the public is safe from air pollution effects?

<p>Continuous effect from high to low levels of exposure (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why did researchers initially believe that deaths due to air pollution were not significant?

<p>'Sick' people already close to death (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What makes aromatic hydrocarbons like Benzo(a) Pyrene more hazardous compared to aliphatic hydrocarbons?

<p>'Active' biochemical nature (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

'Aromatic hydrocarbons' are included among the criteria air pollutants primarily due to their role in what phenomenon?

<p>'Photochemical smog' formation (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main reason behind the inclusion of 'aromatic hydrocarbons' among the criteria air pollutants?

<p>To accelerate the formation of photochemical smog. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the rate at which dry air cools as it rises in the atmosphere?

<p>Dry adiabatic lapse rate (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary source of lead in ambient air, according to the text?

<p>Burning of gasoline (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main impact of lead exposure on children, as mentioned in the text?

<p>Learning disabilities (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What determines the degree of stability of the atmosphere, as discussed in the text?

<p>Temperature change with altitude (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the WHO guideline value for long-term exposure to lead in the air?

<p>$0.5 μg/m^3 /year$ (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to a parcel of air in the atmosphere as it rises?

<p>It expands and cools (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the average value of the moist adiabatic lapse rate in the troposphere?

<p>$6°C/Km$ (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What determines whether air needs to be heated or cooled when compressed for delivery to an aircraft cabin?

<ul> <li>The temperature change during compression (D)</li> </ul> Signup and view all the answers

Admiral Beaufort's system for measuring wind speeds was developed in which year?

<p>1805 (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does a 'moderate breeze' refer to, according to Admiral Beaufort's wind scale?

<p>A wind between 13-18 miles per hour. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe air that has physical forces making it want to remain at a certain altitude?

<p>Stable air (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In terms of atmospheric stability, what happens in an atmosphere described as super adiabatic?

<p>Air is more buoyant (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the negative sign in the equation for temperature change with altitude indicate?

<p>Temperature decreases with altitude (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the environmental lapse rate being greater than the dry adiabatic lapse rate indicate about an atmosphere?

<p>It is unstable (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between atmospheric stability and the ability to disperse pollutants?

<p>Directly proportional (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In which type of atmosphere does rapid vertical mixing encourage pollutant dispersal?

<p>Unstable atmosphere (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What property of air discourages the dispersion and dilution of pollutants?

<p>Stability (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens when a parcel of air moves downward in the atmosphere?

<p>It compresses and cools (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

More Like This

Particulate Matter and Air Quality Quiz
6 questions
Particulate Matter Quiz
3 questions

Particulate Matter Quiz

TimeHonoredChrysoprase1795 avatar
TimeHonoredChrysoprase1795
Diffusion and Retention of Aerosols
17 questions
Particulate Matter and Lead Air Pollution
30 questions
Use Quizgecko on...
Browser
Browser