Air pollution consists of chemicals or particles in the air that can damage the wellness of humans, animals, and plants. It also damages buildings. Pollutants in the air have many forms. They tin can be gases, solid particles, or liquid droplets.

Sources of Air Pollution

Pollution enters the Globe's temper in many dissimilar ways. Well-nigh air pollution is created past people, taking the form of emissions from factories, cars, planes, or aerosol cans. 2nd-manus cigarette fume is also considered air pollution. These human being-fabricated sources of pollution are called anthropogenic sources.

Some types of air pollution, such as smoke from wildfires or ash from volcanoes, occur naturally. These are chosen natural sources.

Air pollution is about common in large cities where emissions from many different sources are concentrated. Sometimes, mountains or alpine buildings prevent air pollution from spreading out. This air pollution often appears as a deject making the air murky. It is called smog. The word "smog" comes from combining the words "smoke" and "fog."

Big cities in poor and developing nations tend to have more air pollution than cities in developed nations. According to the Globe Health Organization (WHO), some of the worlds most polluted cities are Karachi, Pakistan; New Delhi, India; Beijing, China; Lima, Peru; and Cairo, Egypt. However, many adult nations too have air pollution problems. Los Angeles, California, is nicknamed Smog City.

Indoor Air Pollution

Air pollution is usually thought of every bit smoke from big factories or exhaust from vehicles. But there are many types of indoor air pollution besides.

Heating a business firm by burning substances such as kerosene, wood, and coal can contaminate the air inside the house. Ash and smoke brand breathing difficult, and they can stick to walls, nutrient, and clothing.

Naturally-occurring radon gas, a cancer-causing cloth, can also build upward in homes. Radon is released through the surface of the Earth. Inexpensive systems installed past professionals can reduce radon levels.

Some structure materials, including insulation, are also dangerous to people'due south wellness. In add-on, ventilation, or air movement, in homes and rooms tin lead to the spread of toxic mold. A single colony of mold may be in a damp, cool place in a firm, such every bit betwixt walls. The mold'south spores enter the air and spread throughout the firm. People can get sick from animate in the spores.

Effects On Humans

People experience a broad range of health effects from being exposed to air pollution. Effects tin can be broken down into brusque-term effects and long-term effects.

Short-term effects, which are temporary, include illnesses such as pneumonia or bronchitis. They too include discomfort such as irritation to the nose, throat, eyes, or skin. Air pollution can too cause headaches, dizziness, and nausea. Bad smells fabricated by factories, garbage, or sewer systems are considered air pollution, also. These odors are less serious but all the same unpleasant.

Long-term furnishings of air pollution tin last for years or for an entire lifetime. They tin fifty-fifty lead to a person's death. Long-term wellness effects from air pollution include heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory diseases such equally emphysema. Air pollution can also crusade long-term impairment to people's nerves, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs. Some scientists suspect air pollutants cause birth defects. Most 2.five 1000000 people die worldwide each year from the effects of outdoor or indoor air pollution.

People react differently to unlike types of air pollution. Young children and older adults, whose immune systems tend to be weaker, are frequently more sensitive to pollution. Conditions such equally asthma, heart disease, and lung illness can be made worse by exposure to air pollution. The length of exposure and amount and blazon of pollutants are also factors.

Furnishings On The Environment

Like people, animals, and plants, entire ecosystems can suffer effects from air pollution. Haze, like smog, is a visible type of air pollution that obscures shapes and colors. Hazy air pollution can even conceal sounds.

Air pollution particles somewhen autumn dorsum to World. Air pollution can directly contaminate the surface of bodies of water and soil. This can kill crops or reduce their yield. It can impale young trees and other plants.

Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide particles in the air, can create acrid pelting when they mix with water and oxygen in the atmosphere. These air pollutants come up mostly from coal-fired ability plants and motor vehicles. When acid pelting falls to Earth, it damages plants past changing soil composition; degrades water quality in rivers, lakes and streams; damages crops; and can cause buildings and monuments to decay.

Like humans, animals can suffer health effects from exposure to air pollution. Birth defects, diseases, and lower reproductive rates have all been attributed to air pollution.

Global Warming

Global warming is an environmental phenomenon acquired by natural and anthropogenic air pollution. Information technology refers to rising air and ocean temperatures around the globe. This temperature ascent is at least partially acquired by an increase in the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases trap rut energy in the Earths atmosphere. (Ordinarily, more than of Earths heat escapes into space.)

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that has had the biggest effect on global warming. Carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels (coal, gasoline, and natural gas). Humans take come to rely on fossil fuels to ability cars and planes, oestrus homes, and run factories. Doing these things pollutes the air with carbon dioxide.

Other greenhouse gases emitted past natural and artificial sources also include methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases. Marsh gas is a major emission from coal plants and agricultural processes. Nitrous oxide is a common emission from industrial factories, agronomics, and the called-for of fossil fuels in cars. Fluorinated gases, such as hydrofluorocarbons, are emitted by manufacture. Fluorinated gases are oft used instead of gases such equally chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). CFCs have been outlawed in many places because they deplete the ozone layer.

Worldwide, many countries have taken steps to reduce or limit greenhouse gas emissions to combat global warming. The Kyoto Protocol, commencement adopted in Kyoto, Nippon, in 1997, is an agreement between 183 countries that they will work to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. The United States has non signed that treaty.

Regulation

In add-on to the international Kyoto Protocol, most developed nations accept adopted laws to regulate emissions and reduce air pollution. In the U.s.a., argue is under fashion nearly a system chosen cap and trade to limit emissions. This system would cap, or place a limit, on the amount of pollution a company is allowed. Companies that exceeded their cap would take to pay. Companies that polluted less than their cap could trade or sell their remaining pollution assart to other companies. Cap and trade would essentially pay companies to limit pollution.

In 2006 the World Health System issued new Air Quality Guidelines. The WHOs guidelines are tougher than most individual countries existing guidelines. The WHO guidelines aim to reduce air pollution-related deaths by 15 pct a twelvemonth.

Reduction

Everyone can take steps to reduce air pollution. Millions of people every day make unproblematic changes in their lives to practise this. Taking public transportation instead of driving a automobile, or riding a cycle instead of traveling in carbon dioxide-emitting vehicles are a couple of means to reduce air pollution. Avoiding aerosol cans, recycling k trimmings instead of called-for them, and not smoking cigarettes are others.

air pollution

China is one of the most rapidly developing nations in the world. It also has ane of the highest rates of air pollution.

Downwinders
The United States conducted tests of nuclear weapons at the Nevada Test Site in southern Nevada in the 1950s. These tests sent invisible radioactive particles into the atmosphere. These air pollution particles traveled with current of air currents, eventually falling to Earth, sometimes hundreds of miles away in states including Idaho, Utah, Arizona, and Washington. These areas were considered to be "downwind" from the Nevada Test Site.

Decades later, people living in those downwind areascalled "downwinders"began developing cancer at higher up-normal rates. In 1990, the U.S. government passed the Radiation Exposure Bounty Human action. This police force entitles some downwinders to payments of $50,000.

London Smog
What has come to be known as the London Smog of 1952, or the Great Smog of 1952, was a four-twenty-four hours incident that sickened 100,000 people and acquired as many as 12,000 deaths. Very cold weather in December 1952 led residents of London, England, to burn more coal to keep warm. Fume and other pollutants became trapped by a thick fog that settled over the city. The polluted fog became so thick that people could only see a few meters in front of them.

Greenhouse Gases
There are five major greenhouse gases in Earth'south atmosphere.

  • water vapor
  • carbon dioxide
  • methyl hydride
  • nitrous oxide
  • ozone

acid rain

Noun

precipitation with high levels of nitric and sulfuric acids. Acid rain can be manmade or occur naturally.

droplets tin can

Noun

container of liquid material nether loftier pressure level. When released through a pocket-size opening, the liquid becomes a spray or cream.

Noun

harmful chemicals in the atmosphere.

anthropogenic source

Noun

acquired by people.

asthma

Noun

disease that makes it hard to breathe.

Noun

layers of gases surrounding a planet or other angelic body.

attribute

Verb

to think to be caused by.

birth defect

Noun

concrete disorder present at nascence and non adult later.

bronchitis

Substantive

irritation of the chief air passages to the lungs.

cancer

Noun

growth of abnormal cells in the trunk.

cap and trade

Noun

system for reducing air pollution by placing limits on how much companies tin can pollute without having to pay for information technology.

carbon dioxide

Noun

greenhouse gas produced by animals during respiration and used by plants during photosynthesis. Carbon dioxide is also the byproduct of burning fossil fuels.

chemical

Substantive

molecular properties of a substance.

cfc (Chlorofluorocarbon)

Noun

chemic chemical compound mostly used in refrigerants and flame-retardants. Some CFCs have destructive effects on the ozone layer.

cigarette

Noun

sparse roll of tobacco for smoking.

Noun

nighttime, solid fossil fuel mined from the earth.

coal-fired ability plant

Substantive

power plant that makes electricity by burning coal.

colony

Noun

network of mold cells considered as one organism.

concentrated

Describing word

items gathered closely together in one place.

consider

Verb

to call up almost.

contaminate

Verb

to poisonous substance or brand hazardous.

Substantive

agronomical produce.

Noun

steady, predictable period of fluid inside a larger body of that fluid.

decay

Verb

to rot or decompose.

degrade

Verb

to lower the quality of something.

developed state

Noun

a nation that has loftier levels of economical action, health care, and education.

developing globe

Noun

nations with low per-capita income, little infrastructure, and a small center class.

downwind

Adjective

in the direction of the wind.

downwinder

Substantive

person who was accidentally exposed to radioactive particles from the Nevada Examination Site.

Noun

community and interactions of living and nonliving things in an expanse.

emission

Noun

discharge or release.

emit

Verb

to give off or send out.

emphysema

Noun

illness of the lungs.

exceed

Verb

to go beyond the limit.

exhaust

Noun

gases and particles expelled from an engine.

factory

Noun

i or more buildings used for the manufacture of a product.

fluorinate

Verb

to add or combine with the element fluorine (F).

Noun

clouds at footing level.

fossil fuel

Noun

coal, oil, or natural gas. Fossil fuels formed from the remains of ancient plants and animals.

garbage

Substantive

trash or waste material.

gas

Noun

state of matter with no fixed shape that will fill any container uniformly. Gas molecules are in constant, random motion.

gasoline

Substantive

liquid mixture fabricated from oil and used to run many motor vehicles.

Substantive

increase in the boilerplate temperature of the Earth's air and oceans.

greenhouse gas

Noun

gas in the temper, such as carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and ozone, that absorbs solar oestrus reflected by the surface of the Earth, warming the temper.

brume

Noun

group of solid and liquid particles in the air that makes it difficult to see.

heart disease

Noun

illness affecting the center and circulatory system.

hydrofluorocarbon

Substantive

greenhouse gas ofttimes used equally an industrial cooling fabric.

illness

Substantive

disease or sickness.

immune system

Noun

network of chemicals and organs that protects the body from disease.

incident

Noun

event or happening.

indoor air pollution

Noun

harmful chemicals coming from or accumulating inside a building.

insulation

Noun

material used to keep an object warm.

irritation

Noun

condition of unpleasant sensitivity.

kerosene

Noun

flammable liquid used as fuel.

kidney

Noun

organ that removes the waste products from blood and helps regulate general health.

Kyoto Protocol

Noun

(1997) international agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

liquid

Substantive

land of affair with no fixed shape and molecules that remain loosely bound with each other.

liver

Substantive

organ that removes toxins from the blood, converts saccharide to glycogen, and produces bile needed for digestion.

London Fog of 1952

Noun

(December 5December nine, 1952) severe smog that killed between four,000 and 12,000 people in London, England. Also called the Great Smog.

long-term effects

Noun

results of an incident or beliefs that last for years or a lifetime.

lung

Noun

organ in an animal that is necessary for breathing.

man-made

Noun

produced past people.

methane

Noun

chemical compound that is the basic ingredient of natural gas.

mold

Noun

type of fungi that forms on the surface of materials.

motor vehicle

Noun

method of transportation that is run by an electric or gas engine.

mountain

Noun

landmass that forms as tectonic plates collaborate with each other.

Noun

blazon of fossil fuel made up more often than not of the gas methane.

natural source

Noun

caused past nature or the environment.

nausea

Noun

impulse to vomit.

nervus

Noun

function of the nervous system that registers sensation and bear upon.

Nevada Test Site

Substantive

testing site for nuclear weapons and other armed services products in the southern Nevada desert. Nuclear weapons testing was discontinued there in 1992.

nitrogen oxide

Noun

one of many chemical compounds fabricated of different combinations of nitrogen and oxygen.

nitrous oxide

Substantive

greenhouse gas used in medicine and the manufacture of rockets. As well known as laughing gas or happy gas.

nuclear weapon

Noun

explosive device that draws power from the splitting and combining of atomic nuclei.

obscure

Verb

to darken or partially block.

oxygen

Noun

chemical element with the symbol O, whose gas form is 21% of the Globe's atmosphere.

Noun

layer in the atmosphere containing the gas ozone, which absorbs most of the dominicus'southward ultraviolet radiation.

particle

Noun

small slice of material.

phenomenon

Noun

an unusual deed or occurrence.

pneumonia

Noun

infection where lungs fill with fluid.

pollutant

Noun

chemical or other substance that harms a natural resource.

public transportation

Noun

methods of movement that are available to all community members for a fee, and which follow a fixed route and schedule: buses, subways, trains and ferries.

Radiation Exposure Compensation Human action

Noun

(1990) law providing coin to people who developed cancer as a result of exposure to radiations in the atmosphere most nuclear test sites.

radioactive particle

Noun

cantlet or function of an atom with excess energy that decays and changes the backdrop of the cantlet. Also called a hot particle.

radon

Substantive

chemical element with the symbol Rn.

recycle

Verb

to clean or procedure in order to make suitable for reuse.

reduce

Verb

to lower or lessen.

regulate

Verb

to determine and administer a set of rules for an activity.

reproductive rate

Noun

number of alive offspring produced by a single female per reproductive bicycle, usually a year.

respiratory disease

Noun

disease having to do with the lungs and animate.

sewer system

Substantive

network of drains disposing liquid and solid waste.

short-term event

Noun

results of an incident or behavior that last days or months and do not return.

Substantive

type of air pollution common in manufacturing areas or areas with high traffic.

smoke

Noun

gases given off by a burning substance.

soil

Noun

top layer of the Earth'southward surface where plants can grow.

Noun

material, including chemicals, air, and wet, that make up a department of globe.

solid

Noun

land of matter with a stock-still shape and molecules that vibrate but do not motion.

spore

Noun

reproductive unit of some organisms.

sulfur dioxide

Noun

greenhouse gas that can cause acid pelting.

Noun

caste of hotness or coldness measured past a thermometer with a numerical scale.

temporary

Adjective

non lasting or permanent.

toxic mold

Noun

airborne particles released by mold (not the mold itself) that can cause health problems for people and animals.

Substantive

official agreement between groups of people.

unpleasant

Adjective

offensive or foul.

ventilation

Substantive

motility or circulation of fresh air in a closed environment. Also called air apportionment.

Noun

fragments of lava less than 2 millimeters across.

Substantive

an opening in the Earth's crust, through which lava, ash, and gases erupt, and too the cone built by eruptions.

Noun

uncontrolled fire that happens in a rural or sparsely populated area.

World Health Organization (WHO)

Noun

United Nations agency responsible for health.

yard

Noun

land surrounding a business firm or building.

chiliad trimmings

Noun

grass, leaves, and pocket-sized branches left over from mowing and cutting back local vegetation. Also chosen yard waste product.

yield

Verb

to produce or result in.

  • Credits

    Media Credits

    The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited below the media asset, except for promotional images, which mostly link to another folio that contains the media credit. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited.

    Writers

    Kim Rutledge
    Tara Ramroop
    Diane Boudreau
    Melissa McDaniel
    Santani Teng
    Erin Sprout
    Hilary Costa
    Hilary Hall
    Jeff Hunt

    Illustrators

    Mary Crooks, National Geographic Club
    Tim Gunther

    Editors

    Jeannie Evers, Emdash Editing
    Kara Westward

    Educator Reviewer

    Nancy Wynne

    Producer

    Caryl-Sue, National Geographic Society

    Sources

    Dunn, Margery G. (Editor). (1989, 1993). "Exploring Your World: The Chance of Geography." Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society.

    Final Updated

    Apr 4, 2011

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