Name: ___________________________
Block: _______ Date: _______________
Water & Air Study Guide
1. Thermal inversion occurs because the air on the surface is cooler than the air in the atmosphere.
2. Which major air pollutant(s) cause acid rain? Sulfur Dioxide & Nitrous Oxides
3. What is air pollution? The condition in which the air contains substances harmful to living things.
4. Where are the 2 holes in the ozone located? Over the North & South Poles
5. Carbon Monoxide is given off by cars. It is an example of what type of pollutant? Primary
6. True or False: Volcano, Dust Storm, and Pollen are all natural pollutants.
7. True or False: Emphysema, Lung Cancer, and Bronchitis are all disorders that are affected by air
pollution.
8. What are the three ways to slow down global warming?
1. Reduce use of fossil fuels, 2. Stop deforestation, 3. Use nuclear power.
9. What did Charles Keeling measure in Hawaii? CO2 levels
10. What is the purpose of the ozone layer? Absorb UV rays
11. Name ONE way that the weather will change life on earth because of global warming
Currents will change (affecting weather and agriculture) and sea level will rise
12. True or False: CO2, VOC’s, and Particulates are produced by motor vehicles.
13. Name the five major air pollutants . Explain the source and give one effect for each.
a.
b.
c.
STUDY CHART
d.
e.
14. Carbon Dioxide, Methane, and Water Vapors are all examples of what? Greenhouse gases
15. Why was the first Clean Water Act of 1972 significant? B/c it standardized water quality for all
states
Define the following
Primary Pollutant: Put directly into the air through human activity
Secondary Pollutant: Forms when a primary pollutant comes into contact with another primary
pollutant or naturally occurring substance and a chemical reaction takes place
Thermal Inversion: Condition when the air in the atmosphere is warmer than the air at the surface, the
pollutants are trapped at the surface causing this.
Thermal Pollution: An increase in water temperature due to human activity
Point-Source Pollution: pollution discharged from a single source
Pathogen: an organism that causes disease
Biomagnification: the buildup of pollutants at higher levels of the food chain
Recharge Zone: area in which water travels downward to become part of an aquifer
Desalination: the process of removing salt from ocean water
Potable: suitable for drinking
Watershed: The area of land that is drained by a river
Artificial Eutrophication: Nitrates and phosphates enter surface water systems as a result of runoff.
Groundwater: the water that is beneath the earth’s surface
Ozone: a form of oxygen with molecules made of 3 oxygen atoms (O3)
Well: A hole that is dug or drilled to reach groundwater
Water Pollution: the introduction of chemical, physical, or biological agents into water that degrade
water quality and adversely affect the organisms that depend on the water.
Clean Air Act of 1970: Eliminated lead gasoline and made new cars have catalytic converter

Identified pollutants (SO2, CO, etc)

Determined pollutants source

Set threshold level-level at which pollutants are harmful to human health (acceptable level not
to do harm)

Told companies what controls they had to use (no method of enforcement)
Threshold Level: level at which pollutants are harmful to human health (acceptable level not to do
harm)
Sick Building Syndrome: buildings with poor air quality.
Nonpoint source pollution : pollution that comes from many different sources and are often difficult to
identify
16. 97% of the world’s water resources are found in salt water (oceans)
17. Earth’s surface water is found where? (Hint: three bodies of water)rivers, lakes, & streams
18. What are the three major global uses of fresh water? Residential, industrial, & agricultural
19. Why have many areas of the world that do not have adequate fresh water become habitable?
b/c water management projects have diverted water to the areas
20. Water pollution from run-off comes mainly from where? agriculture
21. What does it mean for a surface to be permeable? It allows water to flow through it
22. What percentage of US lakes are estimated to be affected by eutrophication due to human activity?
65%
23. Why are overhead sprinklers for irrigation inefficient? B/c most of the water is lost to evaporation
24. What are two ways to stop ozone destruction? Ban CFC’s , ban other ozone destroying substances,
& Help undeveloped countries stop using CFC’s
25. List the four ways that humans pollute the air.
1. Driving cars
2. Burning fossil fuels
3. Electricity
4.Smoking
26. What system of your body is most affected by air pollution? Respiratory
27. What layer of the atmosphere is ozone layer found? stratosphere
28. Name three ways that a person can conserve water at home.
–
Shorter showers, avoid baths
–
“low-flow” toilets and shower heads
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Don’t let water run while brushing your teeth
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Wash only full loads in washing machine and dishwasher
–
Water your lawn sparingly (at night)
–
Xeriscaping- designing a landscape that uses minimal water
29. List the steps in water purification and what they do.
Aeration: adds air to the water, allowing trapped gases to escape and adds oxygen.
Coagulation: the process by which dirt and other solid particles are chemically stuck together
into a substance called “floc”
Sedimentation: when gravity pulls the particles of “floc” or sediment to the bottom of the
cylinder.
Filtration: the rest of the impurities are removed when sent through layers of pebbles and dirt
Disinfection: adding chemicals, such as chlorine, to the water to purify it and kill any harmful
organisms
a. .
d. .
b. .
e. .
c. .
f.
.