Air Pollution7SCIENCE Fri. Feb. 11, 2011

What is pollution?

• Did you know? By the time you are 75 years old you will have:– Produced enough garbage to equal the mass of 6

elephants – Used enough water to fill 100.000 bathtubs!

• Pollution is the introduction of a substance that contaminates an environment– Focus on air and water

Air Pollution

• The major sources of air pollution are:– Cars– Industry – Power plants – Burning waste– Heat for buildings

• Types of air pollution: – Smog – Acid Rain

Air Pollution: Smog

• Smoke + Fog = smog • Hazy-looking air usually around cities• Two types:– Photochemical smog looks brown and occurs

when sunlight reacts with the pollutants (contaminating substances) in the air

– Sulfurous smog looks gray and is created when coal is burned

– BOTH can cause health problems

Air Pollution: Acid Rain

• Acid rain is created when coal is burned, or from car exhaust, releasing gases, and this combines with moisture (water) in the air to form an acid

• This acid falls to the earth as rain or snow • It can be poisonous or toxic to living things

Questions to Consider• What effects do you think this has on

human health?• What can we do to reduce the amount

of air pollution?