Air Pollution Objective: TSWBAT understand how air pollution effects health status. TSWBAT understand how air pollution effects health status. TSWBAT evaluate how you create air pollution everyday and how we can change our habits to limit/eliminate the pollution. TSWBAT evaluate how you create air pollution everyday and how we can change our habits to limit/eliminate the pollution.

What is air pollution?  Contamination of the air that causes negative effects of life and health

Atmosphere  Layer of gas that surrounds the earth  Waste substances enter atmosphere and pollute the air we breath

Cilia  Hair-like structures that remove dust and other particles from the air  Pollutants damage or destroy cilia  Leads to asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, & lung cancer

Sources of Air Pollution  Fossil Fuels – formed from plant/animal remains (coal, oil, gasoline, natural gas)  Carbon Monoxide –odorless, colorless, tasteless gas –reduces ability of blood to carry oxygen to body cells

Sources of Air Pollution  Sulfur oxides –sulfur containing chemicals that irritate nose, throat & eyes, –smell like rotten eggs  Nitrogen oxides –nitrogen containing chemicals –irritate the respiratory system –appears as a yellow brown haze in the atmosphere

Sources of Air Pollution  Acid Rain –rain or other form of precipitation that has a high acid content. Acid rain decays plants and crops  Particulates –tiny particles in air (soot, ash, dust, pollen)

Sources of Air Pollution  Motor Vehicle Emissions –substances released into the atmosphere by motor vehicles with gasoline engines –Contain carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, and nitrogen oxides

Sources of Air Pollution  Smog –combo of smoke and fog –in sunlight, the water vapor in the air, motor vehicle conditions, & smoke particles combine to form smog  Thermal Inversion –occurs when a layer of warm air forms above a layer of cool air –air cannot circulate and pollutants are trapped in cooler layer

Sources of Air Pollution  Ozone –form of O2 –Most is found in upper atmosphere where it is produced naturally –helps protect earth from sun’s rays –

Sources of Indoor Air Pollution  Second Hand Smoke –exhaled or side stream smoke. Major cause of lung cancer  Carcinogen –substance that causes cancer in humans

Sources of Indoor Air Pollution  Formaldehyde –colorless gas with a strong odor. –found in plywood, upholstery, carpets  Asbestos –heat resistant mineral found in many building materials –found in older homes, heating systems, insulation. –linked to lung cancer

Sources of Indoor Air Pollution  Radon –odorless, colorless, radioactive gas –released by rocks and soil –enters homes through cracks in the floor and wall.  Sick Building Syndrome –illness that results from indoor air pollution uide.html

How can we keep the air clean?