A cold night is followed by an overcast morning. When this happens, the cool air at the surface and any pollutants it contains is trapped beneath the warm layer above it. Which term describes this phenomenon?
temperature inversion
temperature conversion
temperature diversion
thermocline
Which of the following is most likely to cause mesothelioma?
carbon monoxide from motor vehicles
VOCs from car exhaust
ozone found at ground level
asbestos from moving old insulation
You visit a city that has many factories and burns coal as its main source of energy. As a result there is a thick layer of smog in the atmosphere. What is the most likely cause of the smog?
nitrogen oxides
carbon monoxide
ozone
sulfur oxides
Which gas protects life on Earth from UV radiation when in the stratosphere, but when in the troposphere is toxic?
ozone
carbon monoxide
nitrogen oxides
dioxide
Which of the following terms describes smoke, dust, and haze?
volatile organic compounds
carbon monoxide
particle pollution
sulfur oxides
Mercury pollution in a local lake can be traced directly to a factory located near the lake's shore. What type of pollution is the mercury?
quaternary source pollution
point source pollution
secondary source pollution
tertiary source pollution
Which of the following results from an excess amount of car exhaust containing VOCs and nitrogen oxides?
temperature inversion
smog
cloudy days
noise pollution
