Acid Rain (Acid Deposition)
Definition- precipitation that has a pH of less than that of natural rainwater (which is about 5.6 due to dissolved carbon dioxide)
Causes- Natural Sources: Emissions from volcanoes and from biological processes that occur on the land, in the wetlands, and in the oceans contribute acid-producing gases to the atmosphere.Effects of acidic deposits have been detected in glacial ice thousands of years old in remote parts of the globe
Human Sources: Principal reason for acid rain .Industrial factories, power-generating plants and vehicles
Sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen are released during the fuel burning process (i.e. combustion
Formation- formed when sulphur dioxides and nitrogen oxides, as gases or fine particles in the atmosphere, combine with water vapour and precipitate as sulphuric acid or nitric acid in rain, snow, or fog . When water vapour condenses, or as the rain falls, they dissolve in the water to form sulphuric acid (H2SO4) and nitric acid (HNO3). While the air in cleaned of the pollutants in this way, it also causes precipitation to become acidic, forming acid rain
Affected Areas- Canada: Water and soil systems lack natural alkalinity such as lime base, cannot neutralize acid.
Industrial acid rain is a substantial problem in China, Eastern Europe and Russia and areas down -wind from them
Effects- Harmful to aquatic life , increases acidity in water bodies, stops eggs of certain organisms from hatching (changes population ratios, affects the ecosystem), harmful to vegetation ( increased acidity in soil, leeches nutrients from soil slowing plant growth, leeched toxins from soil poisoning plants) , Accelerates weathering in metal and stone structures , Affects human health (respiratory problems, asthma, dry coughs, headaches, and throat irritations)
Preventive Measures- reduce amount of sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen released into the atmosphere (use less energy, use cleaner fuels, remove oxides of sulphur and oxides of nitrogen before releasing) Liming ( spray limestone/ limewater added to water and soil to neutalize acid
Causes- Natural Sources: Emissions from volcanoes and from biological processes that occur on the land, in the wetlands, and in the oceans contribute acid-producing gases to the atmosphere.Effects of acidic deposits have been detected in glacial ice thousands of years old in remote parts of the globe
Human Sources: Principal reason for acid rain .Industrial factories, power-generating plants and vehicles
Sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen are released during the fuel burning process (i.e. combustion
Formation- formed when sulphur dioxides and nitrogen oxides, as gases or fine particles in the atmosphere, combine with water vapour and precipitate as sulphuric acid or nitric acid in rain, snow, or fog . When water vapour condenses, or as the rain falls, they dissolve in the water to form sulphuric acid (H2SO4) and nitric acid (HNO3). While the air in cleaned of the pollutants in this way, it also causes precipitation to become acidic, forming acid rain
Affected Areas- Canada: Water and soil systems lack natural alkalinity such as lime base, cannot neutralize acid.
Industrial acid rain is a substantial problem in China, Eastern Europe and Russia and areas down -wind from them
Effects- Harmful to aquatic life , increases acidity in water bodies, stops eggs of certain organisms from hatching (changes population ratios, affects the ecosystem), harmful to vegetation ( increased acidity in soil, leeches nutrients from soil slowing plant growth, leeched toxins from soil poisoning plants) , Accelerates weathering in metal and stone structures , Affects human health (respiratory problems, asthma, dry coughs, headaches, and throat irritations)
Preventive Measures- reduce amount of sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen released into the atmosphere (use less energy, use cleaner fuels, remove oxides of sulphur and oxides of nitrogen before releasing) Liming ( spray limestone/ limewater added to water and soil to neutalize acid
Car Emissions
Major Air Pollutants in Car Exhaust- The largest part of most combustion gas is nitrogen (N2), water vapor (H2O) (except with pure-carbon fuels), and carbon dioxide (CO2) (except for fuels without carbon); these are not toxic or noxious (although carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming). A relatively small part of combustion gas is undesirable noxious or toxic substances, such as carbon monoxide (CO) from incomplete combustion, hydrocarbons (properly indicated as CxHy, but typically shown simply as "HC" on emissions-test slips) from unburnt fuel, nitrogen oxides (NOx) from excessive combustion temperatures, and particulate matter (mostly soot).
My Mom's Car- 2012 Chrysler Town and Country, gasoline, releases 444 grams of green house gas emissions per mile, gets 20 miles combined MPG, you spend $1,500 on petrol over 5 years, energy impact source is 16.5 barrels of regular petrol, a 6 smog score
The Green Car- 2016 Nissan Leaf, electric, no green house gas emissions, 114 miles combined MPG, save $3, 250 on petrol over 5 years, energy impact source is .2 barrels, a 10 smog score
My Dream Car- 2016 BMW 228i , gasoline, releases 337 grams of green house gas emissions per mile, 26 combined MPG, spend $1,000 on petrol over 5 years, has an energy impact of 12.7 barrels of regular petrol, has a 5 smog score
(This is not my dream car, mine is a 1969 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser because of "That 70s Show")
Questions and Answers
1. From what I can tell from my data and research, the older the car, the more CO2 it'll probably give off. Smaller cars tend to give off less CO2 and vans give off more CO2 than cars.
2. The 2016 Nissan Leaf doesn't give off any green house gas emissions while the 2012 Chrysler Town and Country releases 444 grams of green house gas emissions per mile
3. Cars that give off a lot of CO2 usually has a lower MPG, you have to fill up the gas tank more often, and the smog score is higher than the rest
4. What surprised me about my dream car is that we would actually spend less on gas than what we do now
5. I think that the most important output from cars is the amount of green house gas emissions because there is a lot in the atmosphere already so we need to reduce out impact
5. I think the acceptable level of CO2 emissions is 250, between the green car and the van
6. . 1969 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser because I'm selfish and human
7. It probably doesn't meet the CO2 level I put in place, there isn't a lot of information on the car because its older, but those things are built like tanks.
The Green Car- 2016 Nissan Leaf, electric, no green house gas emissions, 114 miles combined MPG, save $3, 250 on petrol over 5 years, energy impact source is .2 barrels, a 10 smog score
My Dream Car- 2016 BMW 228i , gasoline, releases 337 grams of green house gas emissions per mile, 26 combined MPG, spend $1,000 on petrol over 5 years, has an energy impact of 12.7 barrels of regular petrol, has a 5 smog score
(This is not my dream car, mine is a 1969 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser because of "That 70s Show")
Questions and Answers
1. From what I can tell from my data and research, the older the car, the more CO2 it'll probably give off. Smaller cars tend to give off less CO2 and vans give off more CO2 than cars.
2. The 2016 Nissan Leaf doesn't give off any green house gas emissions while the 2012 Chrysler Town and Country releases 444 grams of green house gas emissions per mile
3. Cars that give off a lot of CO2 usually has a lower MPG, you have to fill up the gas tank more often, and the smog score is higher than the rest
4. What surprised me about my dream car is that we would actually spend less on gas than what we do now
5. I think that the most important output from cars is the amount of green house gas emissions because there is a lot in the atmosphere already so we need to reduce out impact
5. I think the acceptable level of CO2 emissions is 250, between the green car and the van
6. . 1969 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser because I'm selfish and human
7. It probably doesn't meet the CO2 level I put in place, there isn't a lot of information on the car because its older, but those things are built like tanks.
Green House Effect and Ozone Depletion
Greenhouse Effect- Natural process necessary for sustaining life on Earth, is produced by the sun's energy and Earth's atmosphere
Energy in the form of solar radiation is emitted toward Earth. 26% is reflected, 19% is absorbed, 55% reaches Earth's surface. 4% of that is reflected to space and the remaining 51% is absorbed by earth’s surface and re-emitted as long wave infrared radiation
Green house gases trap this radiation warm the atmosphere and emits the heat back to earth where a cycle begins
CO2- has had a 33% increase in concentration in the last 200 years. Comes from burining fossils fuels for industry, transportation, heat, cooking , and electricity generation. Also released from deforestation. Greenhouse potential of 1
Methane- has risen 151% since 1750. Released by large herds of cattle, tapping into fossil fuel deposits, dumping organic matter into landfills, and crops such as rice. Humans are the cause of half of methane released. Greenhouse potential of 23
Nitrous Oxide- has increased 17% since 1750. By-product feedlots, chemical manufacturing plants, auto emissions, soil fertilization, fossil-fuel combustion, and deforestation. Humans contribute to about 33% of all nitrous oxide released into the atmosphere Production has doubled due to Haber process for Nitrogen fixation. Greenhouse potential of 296.
Ozone serves a dual purpose. In lower stratosphere it keeps Earth cooler by absorbing radiation before it reaches Earth. In troposphere it is building up due to humans and then trapping heat. It also causes health problems.
lIt has decreased in stratosphere because of CFCs but increased 36% in troposphere since 1750.
Halocarbon gases are man made. They include chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which deplete the ozone layer. They also are the most efficient greenhouse gas, with a greenhouse potential of 12,000. Emissions have almost stopped now due to the Montreal Protocol. The Montreal was where all of the nations came together with their major scientists and decided that we needed to stop producing CFCs. Was called in 1987 because of health concerns and fears of global warming. Signed by 180 nations, demanded CFC production dropped by 50%. Several amendments now have dropped it to 95%.
Scientists all agree Earth's climate is warming due to increased greenhouse gas concentrations. They do not know how it will continue, however. Some believe it will all work itself out. World Health Organization says immediate and long term health benefits will come from reducing gas emissions.
We can build more efficient machines.Automobiles are highly inefficient and transportation is second highest contributor to gas emissions in U.S. Planting trees. An average tree intakes 13 pounds of carbon and carbon dioxide a year and maintains it for the life of the tree
Energy in the form of solar radiation is emitted toward Earth. 26% is reflected, 19% is absorbed, 55% reaches Earth's surface. 4% of that is reflected to space and the remaining 51% is absorbed by earth’s surface and re-emitted as long wave infrared radiation
Green house gases trap this radiation warm the atmosphere and emits the heat back to earth where a cycle begins
CO2- has had a 33% increase in concentration in the last 200 years. Comes from burining fossils fuels for industry, transportation, heat, cooking , and electricity generation. Also released from deforestation. Greenhouse potential of 1
Methane- has risen 151% since 1750. Released by large herds of cattle, tapping into fossil fuel deposits, dumping organic matter into landfills, and crops such as rice. Humans are the cause of half of methane released. Greenhouse potential of 23
Nitrous Oxide- has increased 17% since 1750. By-product feedlots, chemical manufacturing plants, auto emissions, soil fertilization, fossil-fuel combustion, and deforestation. Humans contribute to about 33% of all nitrous oxide released into the atmosphere Production has doubled due to Haber process for Nitrogen fixation. Greenhouse potential of 296.
Ozone serves a dual purpose. In lower stratosphere it keeps Earth cooler by absorbing radiation before it reaches Earth. In troposphere it is building up due to humans and then trapping heat. It also causes health problems.
lIt has decreased in stratosphere because of CFCs but increased 36% in troposphere since 1750.
Halocarbon gases are man made. They include chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which deplete the ozone layer. They also are the most efficient greenhouse gas, with a greenhouse potential of 12,000. Emissions have almost stopped now due to the Montreal Protocol. The Montreal was where all of the nations came together with their major scientists and decided that we needed to stop producing CFCs. Was called in 1987 because of health concerns and fears of global warming. Signed by 180 nations, demanded CFC production dropped by 50%. Several amendments now have dropped it to 95%.
Scientists all agree Earth's climate is warming due to increased greenhouse gas concentrations. They do not know how it will continue, however. Some believe it will all work itself out. World Health Organization says immediate and long term health benefits will come from reducing gas emissions.
We can build more efficient machines.Automobiles are highly inefficient and transportation is second highest contributor to gas emissions in U.S. Planting trees. An average tree intakes 13 pounds of carbon and carbon dioxide a year and maintains it for the life of the tree