Name________________________________________ Period____ Date__________
Topic 5 Study Guide: Nature of Pollution
5.1 Nature of pollution
Define/explain:
pollution
What are three ways humans can be exposed to pollutants?
1.
2.
3.
Define/explain:
point source pollution (provide examples)
non-point source pollution (provide examples)
What are some natural sources of pollution?
1.
2.
3.
4.
What are some sources of pollution from human activity?
1.
2.
3.
4.
While rivers in most MEDCs have become _____________ in recent decades, the reverse has
been true in many LEDCs.
5.2 Detecting and monitoring of pollution
What is a direct measurement of pollution?
What is an indirect measurement of pollution?
Define biochemical oxygen demand (BOD).
What are the main sources of biochemical oxygen demand?
Briefly explain how BOD can be measured.
How do maximum dissolved oxygen concentrates vary across the temperature range shown in
Table 5.4?
What is a biotic index?
Why are macroinvertebrates used to assess the health of a water body?
5.3 Approaches to pollution management
Human activity which creates pollution can be altered through:
1.
2.
3.
Explain how the United States and the European Union have used regulations in the past to
reduce air pollution.
Why are cleaning up and restoring ecosystems the least desirable approach to pollution
management?
What is deindustrialization and how has it affected pollution levels in MEDCs and NICs?
How can political factors affect approaches to pollution management?
What is an Environmental Impact Assessment?
Describe the history of DDT.
When was it discovered?
Why was it used?
Why was it banned?
Explain the process of bioaccumulation.
What were the negative effects of DDT?
Who was Rachel Carson and how did she influence our use of DDT?
Where is it still manufactured? Why are we considering increasing our use of DDT today?
5.4 Eutrophication
Define/explain:
eutrophication
algal bloom
oligotrophic
mesotrophic
eutrophic
hypertrophic
dystrophic
The trophic level of rivers and lakes is influenced by the a number of factors which include:
1.
2
Complete the following table:
Characteristic
Oligotrophic
Eutrophic
primary production
low
high
diversity of primary products
light penetration into water
toxic blooms
plant nutrient availability
animal production
oxygen status of surface
water
fish
Why can the process of eutrophication be seen as an example of positive feedback?
Read Figure 5.19 on page 238. What are the primary causes of eutrophication?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What are the consequences of eutrophication?
What two nutrients are primarily responsible for eutrophication?
1.
2.
Define turbidity.
Discuss five strategies to reduce eutrophication.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
5.5 Solid domestic waste
Define/explain:
solid domestic waste
In the UK (and presumably most other MEDCs), what are the top three categories of solid
domestic waste?
1.
2.
3.
Briefly evaluate using landfills as a pollution management strategy.
Briefly evaluate incineration as a pollution management strategy.
Define/explain:
landfill
compost
recycling
5.6 Depletion of stratospheric ozone
Draw and label a simple diagram illustrating the structure of the atmosphere. Refer to Figure
5.27 on page 249 for assistance.
What are the top four elements that comprise the dry atmosphere by volume, and what
percentage of the atmosphere is comprised by each element?
Element
%
1.
2.
3.
4.
Define/explain:
thermal stratification
temperature inversion
temperature lapse
The early atmosphere of the Earth was composed mostly of what gas?
What is ozone?
Why is ozone so important?
What is the ozone layer?
Describe the following types of UV radiation:
UV-A:
UV-B:
UV-C:
What natural substances deplete ozone?
What anthropogenic substances deplete ozone?
What is the ozone hole?
What are Dobson units (DU)?
Describe several negative effects of UV radiation on living tissues.
Why are small amounts of UV radiation beneficial for human health?
List four sources of ozone-depleting substances (ODSs):
1.
2.
3.
4.
Define/explain:
refrigerant
gas-blown plastic
methyl bromide
The Montreal Protocol is an example of successful international negotiation and agreement.
What is the Montreal Protocol and how successful has it been?
Suggest why there were various amendments to the Montreal Protocol.
Briefly explain the role of national governments in implementing the Montreal Protocol.
5.7 Urban air pollution
Tropospheric ozone (bad ozone) is not directly emitted from any one source. How is
tropospheric ozone formed?
What are the effects of tropospheric ozone?
When and why are ozone levels highest during:
a. the year?
b. the day?
To what extent has the amount of tropospheric ozone changed since 1900?
What are volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and where do they come from?
Define/explain:
smog
photochemical smog
anticyclones
How is photochemical smog formed?
What is a temperature inversion, when do they typically occur and how do they impact the
dispersal of pollutants?
Air pollution is a major problem in many urban areas. It has been estimated that it affects as
many as ____% of the world’s urban population.
What are some of the world’s most air-polluted cities?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Air pollutants are usually classified into:
a.
b.
c.
Pollution particles less than ____ microns in diameter are particularly dangerous to health,
penetrating deep into the lungs and getting into the bloodstream.
The main factors influencing trends in air pollution are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Complete the table below:
Toxic chemical
nitrogen oxides
volatile organic
compounds
ozone
peroxyacetyl nitrates
Sources
Environmental
effects
Additional notes
State two ways in which nitrogen oxide emissions can be reduced.
1.
2.
How can VOC emissions be reduced?
How can cities work to reduce air pollution?
How can you personally reduce your contribution to air pollution?
5.8 Acid deposition
Define/explain:
acid deposition
dry deposition
wet deposition
occult deposition
The pH ranges from _____ to _____.
Pure water is neutral and has a pH of _____.
Unpolluted rainwater ranges from pH _____ to _____.
Acid rain is generally viewed as rainwater with a pH of less than _____.
What are some natural causes of acid deposition?
What are the anthropogenic causes of acid deposition?
How does acid deposition harm lakes, streams and wetlands?
How does acid deposition harm forests?
How does acid deposition affect soil?
How does acid deposition affect fish?
Why is the effect of acid deposition regional?
What is a soil’s buffering capacity?
Why are areas of granite bedrock at risk from acid deposition?
What is the replace, regulate and restore model?
State two common management strategies used to reduce levels of acid deposition.
Why is finely ground limestone applied to water bodies in Sweden and other countries? What
the main problem with this approach?
What international agreement was created to address acid deposition? What were its
provisions?