APES - Air Pollution - Ozone, Photochemical Smog, and Temperature Inversions and Particulates (08-09)

1. How Can Ozone Be Both Good and Bad?

2. Discuss what is happening to the “good” ozone.

  1. How this affects humans and the environment?

B. What is being done to prevent the loss of the ozone layer.

3. Discuss in detail the formation of “bad” or ground level ozone.

4. What are all of the “ingredients” needed to form ground-level ozone? This is also called trophospheric ozone.

5. How might ground-level ozone affect your health?

6. How do scientists know about the health effects of ozone?

Air Quality Index (AQI):

1. List the levels of the Air Quality Index, and describe the key features of each level.

2. Look at today’s map. Discuss briefly.

3. Look at the animation. Focus on time of day. What do you observe?

3. Use this website to determine if LehighCounty is in a non-attainment area for ozone.

(find LehighCounty:

How does LehighCounty compare to other nearby counties?

(find LehighCounty:

What does it mean to be non-attainment for ozone? Use this page, look at footnotes (you can paste in the answer)

How has it changed over the animated years?

How about counties in mid and northern PA?

Hypothesize why some counties are non-attainment, while others are not?

Temperature Inversion

  1. Under normal conditions, discuss the temperature of the air beginning at ground level, and moving up through the troposphere.
  1. What is a temperature inversion?
  1. Describe how temperature inversions form. (there are several ways)
  1. Why does this result in a major air pollution problem, often a major health risk as a result of photochemical smog formation?
  1. Describe what you see in these photos of a temperature inversion.

SmogCity Simulation

Use: SaveSmogCity 2 From Ozone

Follow the directions, altering the factors as specified

For each of the following, vary the specified condition, then record what happens when this condition is changed. Be specific, listing the AQI and the Health Level.

Scenario 1: Emissions

  1. What are the different emissions in the simulation?
  1. Vary these, and record the effects.
  1. Think about this: what are ways to reduce emissions from:

Autos and trucks

Industries

Scenario 2: Weather factors

  1. Temperature
  1. Temperature inversion
  1. Amount of sunlight/clouds
  1. Wind

Summarize the effects of the above weather conditions, explaining WHY each affects the level of photochemical smog (as measured by the level of ozone). Write in sentences.

Population levels

A. Why do population levels affect the levels of ozone?

Time of day:

A. At what time of the day are ozone levels the worst?

Explain this:

CLASS / GROUP DISCUSSION

In a Class or Group Discussion based on all the data collected, answer the

following questions:

1. Was there any one variable that seemed to have a greater increase in

ozone than others tested? Which one?

2. What steps could be taken to control emissions levels (use your textbook, and list specific steps that can reduce ozone levels) ?

3. Why might some industries oppose further reduction in particulate emission levels?

Particulate Pollution

1. What are the two types of particulates and some of their sources?

2. What are the affects of particulates on human health?

Use: SaveSmogCity 2 From Particulates

Follow the directions, altering the factors as specified

For each of the following, vary the specified condition, then record what happens when this condition is changed. Be specific, listing the AQI and the Health Level.

Scenario 1: Emissions

  1. What are the different emissions in the simulation?
  1. Vary these, and record the effects.
  1. Think about this: what are ways to reduce emissions from:

Autos and trucks

Industries

Scenario 2: Weather factors

  1. Temperature
  1. Temperature inversion
  1. Amount of sunlight/clouds
  1. Wind

Summarize the effects of the above weather conditions, explaining WHYthe factors do or do not affect particulate levels. Write in sentences.

Population levels

A. Why do population levels affect the levels of particulates?

CLASS / GROUP DISCUSSION

In a Class or Group Discussion based on all the data collected, answer the following questions

1. Was there any one variable that seemed to have a greater increase in particulate pollution than others tested? Which one?

2. Use the textbook or other sources to find specific ways and technologies to reduce particle pollution levels?

3. Why might some industries oppose further reduction in particulate emission levels?