AirNOW Activity
OBJECTIVES
Participants will be able to:
1. Use the AirNOW website to find forecasts for air quality in cities across the U.S.
2. Find current Air Quality Index (AQI) readings for cities across the U.S.
3. Use an on-line calculator to convert the Air Quality Index (AQI) to pollutant concentration.
PROCEDURE
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Form working groups of three persons.
You will have one laptop computer for your group.
Go to the AirNOW website at: http://cfpub.epa.gov/airnow/
Answer the following questions as a group. Write the answers on a piece of paper and turn it in
to the instructor.
QUESTIONS
1. Which five cities have the worst air quality today?
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
2. Choose one of those cities and find the following data:
Name of city
_________________________
AQI forecast for today
_________________________
AQI forecast for tomorrow
_________________________
Current AQI reading
_________________________
3. Go to the AirNOW homepage and find the Quick Link for a calculator that will convert AQI to
concentration of a pollutant. (Remember to include the units of measurement in your answers.)
For carbon monoxide:
AQI of 70 equals what concentration of the pollutant? __________________
AQI of 110 equals what concentration of the pollutant? _________________
What is the NAAQS for carbon monoxide? ________________
12/5/09